Potions Change the Body, Spells Change the World
by Aoi4
Summary: My take on the "Time travel" genre. Harry wants to see how much he can "help" the future by sending a message back to his parents while they were in school. OOC, AU, DM/HP, various other pairings...
1. You Know You're Curious

All Harry ever wanted to do was save his family. Spend time with his family and live a normal life. As we all know, Hogwarts is NOT normal and Harry is certainly never going to live it. His family, however…Well, they have spells for that.

Set during sixth year. But the book isn't even in equation. This is my take on the "time travel" story loops I've come across in my reading journeys. I think it incorporates certain originality but I haven't read EVERY time travel story out there. It's slightly AU because Voldemort isn't really in the center of hostility, but he does get an honorable mention. YAY him!

WARNINGS: OOC (since I'm horrible at character study I'll tend to use this excuse until I'm better), AU, HP/DM, HG/Young!RL, JP/LE, Young!SS/YoungSB, SS/SB, RW/NB, LM/LM. There WILL be squick. There WILL be a couple of gasps. And I'm not entirely sure why I'm doing this other than it just popped in my head.

Disclaimer: Not mine. Don't even ask.

**Potions Change the Body; Spells Change the World**

**Ch. 1: You know you're curious**

"If you will only think about the logical aspects of it, Harry, it would make more sense to you." Hermione leaned over and wrote down the sentence that will haunt Harry for the rest of his life. "'Potions change the body while spells change the world.'

Think of it this way." Hermione continued. "When you drink the _Alesciviti_ potion, it doesn't make a vine grow out of the floor across the room. It would make a vine grow out of your own body. Potions have limitations to the physical and mostly to the user but we know that spells, if the caster knows what they are doing, has many more possibilities."

"So a potion can't bend the fabric of time?" Harry blinked down at his parchment and frowned. "This essay isn't going well at all!"

"We were given free reign on the compare and contrast essay in McGonagall's class." Ron looked up from his book. "Why on earth did you choose 'Time Travel', Mate?"

"Ron's right. Time travel is horribly complicated. It's limited as well as vast in its reaction. You never know what might happen. So many possibilities and no wonder the few cases where wizards tinkered with it have been sad."

"You did." Harry said simply and gave the curly haired girl a pointed look. "And I don't think that story was sad at all."

"That was different. We were righting a wrong that should have never occurred in the first place." Hermione huffed, conveniently forgetting her earlier transgression with the time turner. "Besides, you can't time travel using a potion. It has to be a charmed device like the time turner."

"Or you could use a potion as a lubricant during a spell induced time slide." A voice interrupted from the side of the room. All three friends turned their heads toward the voice and simultaneously cringed in dislike. Draco Malfoy, the prat, how much did he hear? "To be honest, Potter, I'm slightly impressed with your interest. Be careful, though, what you speak borders precariously on Daaark Maaaagiiic"

Harry glared at Malfoy as he wiggled his fingers ominously. The way he said Dark Magic in a slightly singsong manner irritated him. How dare he joke about such a thing!

"Listen here, Malfoy," Harry spat out his name with as much hate as he could muster and grew even more irritated when the blond just smirked at him in reaction. "Not that it is ANY of your concern but this is an assignment subject APPROVED by Professor McGonagall. The situations are hypothetical."

"Whatever, pothead." Malfoy raised his hand in dismissal before moving away. "You should know that you can't get an actual reaction by being "hypothetical". Who really knows what happens if you tamper with time? One way of knowing is by doing it."

"Don't listen to him, Harry." Hermione whispered to him while glaring daggers at the back of the retreating Slytherin. "He just wants to get you in trouble."

"Yeah, even though it would be really cool to travel through time." Ron mumbled.

"Ronald! No!" Hermione gasped.

"Well, I didn't get to do it when you guys did! It wasn't fair!" Ron bit back defensively.

"It wasn't as fun as you think…" Harry started. He paused and furrowed his brows. "I guess, if you take out the life and death aspect of it, it WOULD have been a bit fun."

"No Harry! Not you too!" Hermione wailed desperately. "You must think logically!"

"Time doesn't travel logically. You said yourself it is limited and vast at the same time." Harry grinned. "We can do a small experiment and use only a little bit of time. Like two minutes or something."

"Well…" Hermione was starting to break. Two minutes didn't seem bad. Not much can happen in two minutes. It certainly didn't seem wrong after how many times she had used the device in third year and for longer bouts of time. "But I don't have my time turner anymore, it was confiscated."

"You heard Malfoy. It's probably possible to use both a potion and a spell to come up with the same effects. Also, how do you think a time turner is made? It has to have some charm on it that can be found in a book. We'll make our own if need be."

"He also said it was close to Dark Magic…" Hermione said in a small voice but it was obvious she held no conviction so the boys chose to ignore it.

"And we'll do several intervals!" Ron was starting to like this experiment. "And send messages back or change something small."

"They'll have to be a control. Like a pensieve or something that records the way things are without the changes." Hermione got up from the table, finally relenting to her scientific side as it won the battle over her morals side. "I'm going to collect a few books that might help us."

"And while she's distracted by that…" Harry had waited until she's out of earshot before turning to Ron. "We'll see what we can do to increase the distance in time we want to travel."

"What do you mean?" Ron asked. "You don't think two minutes is enough time for the experiment?"

"Back in time two minutes? Is that what I said?" Harry blinked innocently. "Maybe you misunderstood me. I don't mind going back in time FOR two minutes but I want to go back a great AMOUNT of time."

"Oh I'm so confused!" Ron put his head in his hands before jerking up in surprise once it sunk in. "You want to go back into your parent's time for two minutes?!"

"Just enough time to send a message." Harry grinned and touched a finger to his nose. Of course, he wasn't going to tell Ron that he needed help doing this…and who he was going to have to ask.

::

Draco studiously sprinkled ground up Whomping Willow root into his potion and noted the reaction on his parchment. He had about three minutes before he had to put in the Screaming Weed. He decided to peel the poison apple while he waited. Suddenly he felt something hit his head. Turning around he eyed a poorly constructed origami swan flopping around on the ground with a broken wing. He looked around to see who threw it before meeting green eyes. Potter raised his brows expectantly like Draco had done three years prior. Draco blinked at him before looking down at the swan again. Potter was sending him notes in class? Bending down to pick it up Draco opened it and read:

_Nostalgic, isn't it, this swan? Well, I'll get straight to the point. I'm interested in hearing more of what you have to say about my "project". Give me a reply._

Taking out a blank sheet Draco set about doing just that.

_Swan? Is that what you call it? Your handwriting is as disgraceful as your paper folding skills. I could hardly read your poor excuse for a script. Where'd you learn to write? From a Troll? _

He folded his swan expertly and set it flying gracefully toward the Gryffindor. Once caught and read, the other boy scowled and sent an unmentionable hand gesture his way. Draco smiled. Merlin but he loved teasing that boy. His world was filled with possibilities for making his rival squirm. The boy started scribbling something else and hastily folded the paper again. This time Draco was expecting it and caught the struggling bird.

_Over compensating squabbling aside, Malfoy, stop fooling around and tell me what you know._

Over compensating? Why that little bastard! Draco snarled and scribbled out his reply.

_Watch what you say, Scarhead! You're so stupid you probably don't know what that word means! And what makes you think I'm going to help you with your homework? Do it yourself, there's nothing in it for me!_

_Temper temper, Malfoy. I've decided to do another subject for my essay. This is going to be purely for me. What's in it for you? I know you're curious. Be involved. Help us with it._

Draco paused while reading. Was he curious? Yes. Was he enough to work with the Gryffindors? Probably. Another note hit him in the temple.

_Stop thinking and act! You're such a Slytherin. Look, you will get to go back in time. It's an opportunity you can't pass up. I need you to assist. _

Draco blinked in shock as the only words he was able to read were "I need you". He looked up to Potter to see his staring expectantly back. Potter NEEDED him. It had the craziest effect over him to know that. Draco bit his lip. He nodded to the Gryffindor and noted his pleased face. Yes, Draco Malfoy was curious about many things. He wrote Harry again stating that they would have to meet up after dinner to talk about the plan.

As the students filed out of the classroom and Snape expected the potions for the day he was completely shocked that two students didn't even get through two ingredients to finish the potion. Well, one he expected not to finish but the other was a complete surprise. Harry Potter AND Draco Malfoy were distracted enough to not do their work…but over what? Snape was curious.


	2. Alderoy Pince

Draco and Harry alter a few of Hermione's ideas behind her back…

**Alderoy Pince**

Draco sat Indian style comfortably upon the top of the table with a book propped on his lap when Harry wandered into the library that night. It was sort of an odd position and area to associate Draco with but Harry thought better to voice it. Just the fact that Draco was there was a fragile arrangement. He didn't want to piss the other boy off and lose his help. Harry would have normally never given the Slytherin a second thought but he very well couldn't tell Hermione his plans and expect her to help. That would never happen. With Draco he could entice him into doing the research and avoid a pesky conscious. Draco simply did not have one. Plus, as much as Harry would NEVER admit it out loud, he was just as smart as Hermione was. He was just generally misplacing that intelligence or was plain ass lazy.

"So, where do you want to start?" Draco asked without looking up from his book. Harry pulled out a piece of parchment and handed it to the blond. "What's this?"

"A stasis spell Hermione was working on to envelop one person while another went back in time for two minutes." Harry shrugged as Draco looked it over. "It's meant to keep the controlled person "in the know" about what is changing in present time. It acts as a time bubble that keeps the person in present time while the other goes back."

"Inventive." Draco muttered. "But unfortunately the "controlled person" doesn't get to travel. That isn't very fun."

"What do you mean?" Harry pulled out a chair and sat on the back rest while putting his feet on the seat.

"I mean. Theoretically, couldn't it be possible to go on the trip but maintain the memories of your own time line? Many stories that I've read of the fools who go back say that they eventually started to forget their own past and thought that what they had changed was always there to begin with. It's hard to mould your perfect future when you get confused all the time."

"Likewise, it's hard to fix mistakes when you keep forgetting what was wrong." Harry nodded his head. "So what do you think needs to be changed on her spell?"

"Well, I'm not a wiz at inventing new spells, that usually falls to Sorcerers who've completed Secondary Sorcery School and in case you have forgotten, we're in sixth year in primary school." Draco raised an eyebrow.

"Well, aren't you supposed to be brilliant?!" Harry blurted out but froze when he got a surprised look from Draco's face. The blond boy started to turn a blotchy pink that reached right up to his ears. "Um, I mean…"

"Yes, well, as BRILLIANT as I suppose I am…" Draco looked away uncomfortably. "I think we're going to need a lot more books than what is offered in Hogwarts. Even the restricted section won't help us out much."

"What do you need?" Harry was afraid to ask but he was thankful for a change of subject or that Draco didn't call him on his slip.

"Well, perfecting a stasis spell that will be worn around the traveler is only the start." Draco reached over to pick up a blank piece of parchment and a quill. He dabbed it with ink and started writing a list. "We'll need a lubricant potion to ease the transition between times. No telling what time travel can do to the body outside of the protective circle of a Time Turner. We'll also have that to find out if we're to make said potion…Let's see, Oh! We're going to need some sort of return spell so that we aren't trapped back in time. I'm assuming you want to go far in time?"

"Yes, about twenty three years." Harry said.

"Hmm…odd number." Draco shrugged and wrote that down on the parchment. "We'll also have to develop a new spell that will allow us to call a time and move there. As far as I know, there isn't one. I'll look into it. All of these things have to be able to work in harmony with each other and not interfere with the functions of the other."

"Well, what do you want to do first? I have plenty of time tonight if you do." Harry wasn't the least bit daunted. He knew his plan was going to be difficult but the way Draco spoke made it seem doable. He picked up a random book off of Draco's pile. It was a history book of the many failed time travelers that died horrible deaths. He quickly put it back down again.

"I think we should stick with what we know. Granger has already started a stasis spell. We should just let her continue it and alter it later. We should research with our given resources on what we might come across with the other things. At least until we can test the stasis spell." Draco jumped off the table and headed toward the restricted area of the library.

"Hey, wait!" Harry called after him. "You can't just stroll in there!"

"You're such a Gryffindor." Draco smiled sardonically and rolled his eyes. "I paid off Filch to distract Madam Pince for the rest of the evening. I've never seen the man so happy to do my bidding."

"Oh…" The blond was incorrigible! But Harry had to admit, it was nice to have that sly evil mind working in his favor for once.

::

"Well, that's certainly amazing, Harry." Hermione was skimming through his and Draco's notes from the previous night, edited of course for Hermione's fragile constitution. "You thought about a couple of things that I didn't. I'm impressed. Did you find anything else about my Stasis Spell?"

"No, sorry. I think you should continue to work on it. I'm pretty sure it doesn't exist yet but be careful; making new spells is rare for a reason. We really can't test it unless we have the means to travel anyway." Harry said. Hermione was getting more and more impressed. Harry sounded so smart! In reality he was pretty much aping what Draco and he had talked about last night but his friends didn't know that.

"Can you explain that to me again?" Ron spoke up. He was so confused and normally he'd have Harry to be confused with but he actually managed to sound like he understood. Ron's brain hurt.

"I proposed the idea of a spell that basically envelopes you like a bubble." Hermione started and even gave hand gestures. "It acts like one as well. You know how bubbles will enclose the air within its sphere? It is essentially the same air no matter where the bubble goes. Well, with my spell I think I can encase a person in a stasis bubble that will keep the time current for that person while another can travel back and do something to change the timeline. Like, write on the wall or something. To the person in the bubble it would seem like the writing just showed up out of nowhere because they remember the wall being blank. To everyone else they witness the actual writing and it's normal within their time. Does that make sense at all?"

"I guess." Ron thought he was starting to get it. Either that or he is getting it all wrong and doesn't even know it. "I think I'm going to have to try it to fully understand."

"I didn't get it at first either, Ron." Harry smiled. "I knew what I wanted to happen I just didn't think it would get so complicated. When we had the time turner it was as easy as 'spin and wait'."

"Unfortunately mine was confiscated." Hermione muttered irritably. "Now I can't find another one. Believe me, I've tried."

"It would certainly have made things easier." But time turners can't go back in time far enough for me. Harry finished in his head. Ron had started looking at the parchment of notes again until something caught his eye.

"Speaking of Time Turners, what's this mean?" He asked. Harry leaned over and read.

"Oh, we think that traveling in time can be hard on the body which is why a time turner was made. Upon further research we discovered that the reason they worked is because the creator of the time turner developed a sort of potion that eased the slide through planes. He saturated the device in the potion and it protects the users." Harry said smartly.

"We?" Ron started to ask when Hermione interrupted.

"Do you know what the potion was called or how it was made?"

"Sadly no." Harry said. "But I have a feeling that if we look into a few rare books on who made the original time turner we could find it. Do you know the name of the Sorcerer who developed it?"

"Of course. His name was Aderoy Pince, Sorcerer second class. " Hermione said. "But I did my research on the man as well as the device but I didn't read anything about a potion. What book did you get this information out of?"

"The restricted section of the library." Harry answered. It was normal for Harry to traipse around there so she just nodded in reply.

"Wait. Did you say Pince?" Ron asked and both friends turned toward him. He raised both eyebrows and put a smirk on his face. "Any relation to Madam Pince, the Librarian?"

"Ron! You're a genius!" Hermione squealed. "The Pince's are rare in the Wizarding world. Chances are they are connected!"

"She is sure to have her relative's notes in her quarters and not in the library." Harry speculated.

"Well, I suggest an outing." Hermione smiled.

"Ron, you get my invisible cloak and the Marauder's map. I think I have a way to distract Madam Pince." Harry grinned. He wondered where Filch was this time of night…


	3. Splinched in Rome

The Golden Trio finds the lubricant potion and begins to brew it. Draco and Harry get closer as they research spells for time travel.

**Splinched in Rome**

"For a Librarian, she sure is unorganized." Ron muttered as he lifted another loosely piled piece of parchment. The pile wobbled dangerously.

"That's exactly why she is." Harry joked. "Librarian's are scatterbrained. They can't be bothered with tidiness when they have a book to read."

"Hey!" Hermione protested defensively as if Harry was talking about her. The two boys grinned at her and she muttered to herself irritably and continued to look for the lubricant Potion.

"Ron, where is Madam Pince right now?" Harry asked. They had been in her quarters for a while. Harry wanted to make sure she wasn't returning to her room. He had asked Draco to get Filch to take Pince out so he could get something from Pince's room that might help with their project. Harry couldn't get over how helpful the other boy has been. It made him wish Draco had been on their side the whole time. They could have really used him in the past.

Ron took out the Marauder's Map, activated it and looked around Hogwarts to the Librarian. It took him a while before he found her.

"Ah, there she is in Filch's room with Filch…" Ron's face screwed up, "Ewww…"

"Heh, well as long as he keeps her busy more power to him." Harry chuckled as Ron hastily folded up the map so he didn't have to see the two names together any longer. Just then, Hermione made a triumphant sound.

"Here it is! Aderoy Pince, Sorcerer Second Class' potion for the ease of time travel." Hermione declared as she held up the parchment like it was gold.

"Th-that's the name?" Harry asked.

"Hardly inventive, is it?" Ron grinned as he walked closer to the other two.

"Well! He was a sorcerer, not a writer!" Hermione huffed.

"Let's get this thing copied and get out of here. I'm not sure how fast Filch is." Harry pulled out a blank parchment, quill and ink.

"That is so gross, Mate." Ron muttered and knelt down.

"You guys go ahead and copy it. You've had more practice." Hermione smirked and handed them the original.

"Haha, very funny…" Harry muttered. "But you're brewing it."

"Of course! You think I could trust you with brewing a potion?" Hermione's smirk widened. "I'll start after the holidays."

::

"Ok, do we know if it works on humans or on objects only?" Draco was swinging his legs and leaning back on his hands as he sat atop the table again. Harry liked seeing him so carefree. He looked human and approachable.

"One thing at a time there!" Harry said. "No sense testing on humans right away. We're going to start small. Written messages or something. Then we'll move to small slides in time and finally we'll go back further."

"Why not test on a few of your Gryffindor friends, right away?" Draco smiled fondly at the thought. "They're expendable."

"Hey, jerk! Same can be said about your two goons!" Harry yelled playfully and Draco just shrugged like it didn't matter either way. When did their barbs become friendly banter?

"So, messages? To who?" Draco asked.

"Well, mainly to each other until we perfect the lubricant potion to work how we want it to and also the ability to transport the message back in time..." When will he tell Draco that he wants to contact his parents to warn them of their fate? Will he?

"Oh, speaking of!" Draco leapt off the table and rummaged through his bag until he pulled out a book with pride. "I took this out of my dad's personal study. It's a book dedicated to time travel and the attempts that people made. Some worked; some…well some didn't."

"You're sugar coating it." Harry said with amusement. Draco gave him a snarky grin and opened up a dog-eared page. He thrust it at Harry to read. "'Sir Rupert Handy, having never been to Rome, decide the best method of doing so would be to Apparate from an International Apparation point. This was the usual method and was not thought odd. However, Sir Handy wanted to Apparate to Ancient Rome.' Oh I can just see it now…"

"Yes, apparently half of him DID make it to Ancient Rome While the other just Apparated to modern Rome." Draco grinned sadistically. "They found the other half in a sealed tomb two thousand years later…Or rather three years after his supposed "trip"."

"He splinched himself!" Harry cried. "How horrible…"

"Yeah, well, Sir Handy's loss could be our gain." Draco said as he took up his seat on the table once again. "He had the right idea but the wrong way of doing it."

"Do tell." Harry slid the book away from him.

"Well, He tried to apparate quite a distance away while simultaneously apparating in time quite a while." Draco grinned. "We don't have to travel distances and we aren't going to be going back too far."

"Interesting. Does it tell of the spell that sent Sir Handy back in time?" Harry was getting excited. His anticipation mounted new heights when Draco grinned triumphantly.

"I dug a little further on this Rupert Handy fellow and found he left his personal notes in a vault in Gringotts."

"We'll never get in there!" Harry sighed in defeat.

"Oh, ye of little faith." Draco pulled out a scroll and waived it seductively in front of Harry's face. "I just walked in there, told them Handy's relatives have entrusted me with the vaults for some independent research and got it. Honestly, how have you managed to get as far as you have if you give up that fast?"

"Shut your trap. You ran away in the Forbidden Forest in first year." Harry snatched the scroll out of Draco's hands and began unrolling it.

"Just because you're too stupid to exercise your natural instinct for self-preservation doesn't mean you have to be so snippy." Draco sniffed.

"Whatever." Harry waved him off as he read the instructions for the spell. Draco huffed and began to lightly kick at the opened roll of parchment in Harry's hands. "Stop it. I'm trying to read."

"You think you can cast it?" Draco asked but didn't stop kicking.

"Of course I can. I'm really good at spells. Potions no; Spells yes." Harry said.

"Well, get on with it."

"Patience my little one." Harry cooed and Draco wrinkled his nose. "I don't want to rush into it and end up splinched in Rome."

"I thought you weren't going to start on humans." Draco said smugly. "Just try it on a message to me right now."

"Without the lubricant potion?" Harry tilted his head in inquiry.

"It might or might not work." Draco shrugged.

"Ok, I'll alter the spell to take something else back in time instead of myself…" Harry said as he read over the instructions again. "Um, ok. I got it."

Harry quickly leaned over and wrote something on a piece of paper, he folded it up, took out his wand and pointed it at the paper.

"_Deciminutus dies_!" The paper vanished with a pop usually associated with Apparation.

"Where'd it go?" Draco slid off the table and eyed the place the paper once was.

"It's still there. It's just ten minutes from now." Harry crossed his arms smugly.

"Are you sure?" Draco asked and put his hand down on the empty spot.

"I guess we'll see ten minutes from now, won't we?" Harry grinned.

Ten minutes later a piece of paper popped into existence on the table. Inside, written in exactly the handwriting that Harry had used was "Victory!".

"Well, aren't you smart?" Draco whistled appreciatively while Harry smiled proudly. He examined the piece of paper closely. "It doesn't look worse for wear at all. You think the lubricant potion is used for the purpose of human travel only?"

"It would seem so." Harry nodded.

"Then what's stopping you from sending your messages now?" Draco lifted an elegant eyebrow. He was greeted by a conspiratorial grin from the Gryffindor. He was struck by how easy it has been being with the other boy. Considering they both were doing things that could be considered illegal in some circles might help. Doing naughty things always made Draco feel good. Doing naughty things with a boy who normally wouldn't do naughty things made Draco feel even better……never-mind the images that sentence illustrated in his head.

"Nothing, nothing at all."

Draco decided to help but what followed their initial tests proved to be confusing and erratic. Without a stasis bubbled the boys got confused on what was sent to each other because they remembered doing the writing. If they were to send a message back in time it would always exist, wouldn't it? It made their brain hurt. Ultimately they decided to push Hermione to complete the stasis bubble. The sooner the better.


	4. Griffin and Dragon

Draco and Harry decide to send messages to the 1970s. It's a coincidence that was when their parents attended Hogwarts. Yeah, that's it.

Warning: Language, AU, OOC, HP/DM

**Griffin and Dragon**

Harry scratched out yet another attempt. His parchment was riddled with all sorts of such attempts. He just didn't know what he wanted to say to his father. He couldn't just start out with "Hi, Dad. Several years from now you will be betrayed by one of your friends and murdered…" That sort of thing would cause panic if they even believed him. His message needed to be catchy, indisputable and not have a drastic effect on the world. Yet.

"How about you just give them an alias, tell them you're fiddling with time and to prove it you'll answer a question that'll happen in the near future or something." Draco was currently scrunched up on the window sill of a spare room that the two took to meeting in. "The time difference is so large that I doubt we'll need a stasis spell and I doubt it will change the timeline that much."

"I'm glad I keep you around." Harry crumpled up the parchment and tossed it at Draco. "But tell me again why you're still here?"

Draco allowed the crumpled up piece of paper to hit him. He was awed that Harry would say such a thing. Once again Draco's selective hearing pieced together 'I'm glad you're here.' He stared dumbly at Harry until the other boy started to shift his eyes around uncomfortably.

"Uh, I—I knew that you couldn't do much of anything on your own." Draco finally answered. "Besides, I'm interested in your experiment. You knew that when you asked me to help."

"Yeah, but why are you still here." Harry pressed on. He was starting to feel butterflies in his belly. What did he want the answer to be? "I don't need technical support to write a letter."

"Well…" Draco licked his lips nervously. Truth be told, he didn't know why he was still around. They had both agreed to be present when the message was sent but there was no reason for him to be sitting around while Harry struggled to write it. He supposed that it just felt comfortable to hang around the Gryffindor. They had their task at hand and neither of them talked about anything else besides that. Until now. Why was Harry asking stupid things that were better left not discussed?

"Why is it getting easier and easier to talk to you?" Harry interrupted. He was looking too intensely at Draco for his own comfort. The dark haired Gryffindor was leaning forward over the table so far that he stood up out of his chair. Draco tensed up.

"When you don't think about it, it's easier to deal with." Draco said stiffly. He uncurled off the window sill and picked up his belongings. "I think I'll go now."

"NO!" Harry whirled around the table so fast Draco's only reaction he could manage was to blink dumbly. Harry had slapped his belongings out of his hands. "Stay."

"Why?" Draco felt warm. Very warm. He just couldn't understand it. Harry wanted him around, that much was obvious, but why?

"I like you around. When you're not being openly hostile, you're a very friendly person." Harry said nervously.

"When ANYONE isn't openly hostile, they're friendly." Draco decided that being petulant is a good way to deal with the way he feels about what Harry said. Being petulant meant that Harry didn't know how much he liked hearing it.

"Yeah, but you're fun too." Harry smiled. He knew what Draco was doing. He thought it was sort of cute. Harry figured if he gave Draco more compliments then the blonde might eventually admit he liked Harry too. "Plus you're better at writing. I was probably taught by a troll, remember?"

"You do have horrible handwriting…" Draco felt his face flame up even more and he fidgeted with the hem of his shirt.

"So, you'll help me some more?" Harry asked as he put his hands on Draco's shoulders. The blonde straightened in shock and looked directly at Harry. Harry decided right then and there that Draco was something more than a friend. He never felt the need to touch Ron. With Draco it almost seems like touching him would be evidence that the boy was still there. He wanted that assurance.

"Of course I will." Draco heard himself say. Draco tried not to think about Harry's hands on him. He tried not to think about the desire to do Harry's bidding right then. He knew, though. Deep down he knew that if Harry had told him to do anything at all, he would have. Just because Harry wanted him to and that he was touching him.

"Great!" Harry grinned. "Let's start with our aliases."

The two boys argued about who they were going to be for almost an hour before settling on Griffin for Harry and Dragon for Draco. It wasn't entirely creative but it fit. They were satisfied. When the 'important' issue was dealt with, they set about writing the message. It went as follows:

_To Whom It May Concern: _

_Please direct this message to a James Potter of Gryffindor house. James Potter is to set his wand upon this page and say the words that he knows will unseal the rest of this message._

The rest was sealed with a spell similar to the Marauder's map. Harry was sure that his father would be able to guess to say "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Of course, Harry had to explain everything to Draco. The blonde was highly amused but he was surprisingly accepting. That is, if Harry promised to show him the map at a later date. Harry was sure he had a lot more explaining to do than just a map. He wasn't completely sure that he trusted Draco with all the information he was going to give him concerning his parents but the only way to trust someone was to offer them an opportunity to deserve that trust. Harry was going to tell him his secrets and hope for the best. The rest of the message finished with:

_Prongs, _

_You were chosen to receive this message because you are known of by us in the future. We are conducting an experiment on a timeline basis. We are two students here in Hogwarts, existing in year 2008. If you need proof we can offer you answers to questions you have about the future. Please keep the questions on a small but impersonal level because we can't lightly tell you about large events without knowing the consequences. I'm sure you know why that would be unwise. Write your questions down on a piece of parchment and hide it in the place where moony stays on some nights of the month. We know you know where that is. There is a loose floorboard three spots in. Put your question in there and replace the board. You won't have to wait long. We'll send a reply in the same place. Check back under the board._

_Until then. Stay safe and say hi to Lily, Moony and Padfoot for us_

_Signed, Griffin and Dragon_

The two went to the banquet hall early the next morning when hardly anyone was there. Harry went to the Gryffindor table to send the message. He knew that would be a place where his father would have the best chance at receiving the message. He briefly entertained a fantasy were the actual parchment landed directly in front of him. Who knows? Maybe it did. When it was done he gave a quick thumbs up to Draco. The blonde nodded and smiled. When they found time again they snuck to the Shrieking Shack. Harry pulled out an old dusty piece of parchment from the loose floorboard and smiled wickedly at Draco. They received their first cross time correspondence. Inside was a neat cursive that reminded Harry of a female. He assumed it was his mother writing. It was terribly exciting to see his mother's script. It was almost like she was alive and they were just sending letters to each other. Harry guessed, in some way, that was true.

_Griffin and Dragon,_

_Fist, there wasn't a loose floorboard and we had to rip it up. Second, I normally wouldn't give two thoughts about a prank like this but I was convinced by Prongs that it might be fun. We figure that you're just going to come in here after we left and answer our questions. We want to know how you know about Prongs, Moony and Padfoot. How do you know about the map as well? Also, we want to know why Wormtail was left out of the message. He isn't here now because we thought it was intentional. We want to know why. Those are the questions. Let's see if you can answer them._

_Prongs, Lily, Moony and Padfoot_

Harry blinked at the loose board and let out a small chuckle. Of course they were the ones to make the board loose in the first place! Draco and Harry smirked at each other and used the same parchment that was left there to answer. They figured if they sent back the old looking parchment that was written twenty years ago with new writing it would be a double impact that this was real. They decided to send the message back ABOVE the plank so that the parchment would just "appear" in front of the group.

_James Potter, Lily Evans, Remus Lupin, and Serius Black,_

_It just appeared didn't it? Look familiar? Turn over the parchment._

_Do we have your attention now? We know about your nicknames, the reason you're named what you are and everything about your map because the truth comes out to a small circle of friends in the future. We are considered friends even though vast amounts of time separate us. As for Wormtail, we're sorry but such information shouldn't be discussed at this time. Peter is a big event and we don't want to disclose big event information with you at the moment. For now, we'd like to discuss various small events. We're happy that this is working how we would like; it is an experiment after all. Please feel free to start an open conversation. Is there anything you would like to know?_

_Please put the parchment back in the floorboard. While we can just make a paper appear in the past we're afraid if you leave your reply message out in the open in the past that it would end up never making it to our time._

_Griffin and Dragon_

They sent the message back again before immediately opening the floorboard again. They read the reply.

_You have our attention. Who are you? You know our names but we don't know yours unless Griffin and Dragon are your real names. What relationship do we have with you in the future? _

The script changed from flowing beautiful handwriting to a messy scrawl eerily reminiscent to Harry's own.

_Do we win the house cup this year?_

It changed once again to a blocky masculine writing technique.

_What happens to Snivilus in the future?_

The writing changed to a neat print.

_Never mind them. I would like to know what becomes of Werewolf rights in the future. _

Draco and Harry did their best to answer any and all questions for a good portion of the night.

_Our names aren't something that can be disclosed at the moment without further assurances that we don't mess up the flow of time. You know our parents and we wish to be born eventually. You get the picture. I guess that answers the second question too. You are close to our parents in some way or another._

_As for Quidditch, James (we know it was you), yes, this year you win the house cup but that doesn't mean you can take it easy. You'll lose if you don't try.._

_SEVERUS is doing quite well nowadays. We see him everyday but he's a bitter man because of you, Serius. (We also know it was you writing). So be nicer! It will make a lot of lives easier if you do. _

_As for Werewolf rights, we're sorry to state that they aren't much changed from your time. Sorry, Remus._

They decided to call it a night after the last message. It didn't matter if they did. They had all the time in the world.

"Do you think it was a good idea to give them that much information?" Draco asked as they walked back to Hogwarts via the hallway.

"We'll see what impact it has soon enough, I'll bet." Harry shrugged.

"You're not the least bit worried are you?"

"Should I be?" Harry asked. Draco just shrugged. Honestly he had no idea.


	5. The Marauders

Things begin to change. Draco and Harry decide a stasis spell is necessary when they don't recognize the difference right away. Snape starts to wonder…

**The Marauders **

At first Draco wasn't aware of the difference they already started to make to the current time. It was mainly due to the fact that neither Harry nor himself cast a stasis spell before they sent those messages back a couple of weeks prior. It was only when Harry hastily grabbed his arm and pulled him into an empty room that he was faced with their consequences.

"I noticed something when I was re-reading our messages the other day." Harry was already rummaging through his bag, his back to a curious Draco. "Its something pretty small so at first I didn't think too much about it but that doesn't stop it from being true."

"What happened?" Draco couldn't wait any longer. Harry was killing him with suspense. What did they change?

"Here. Read it." Harry handed him the parchments they had used in their communications. Draco read it over but nothing popped out at him. He shook his head curiously at Harry. "Like I said, I didn't notice it either but the line we wrote to Sirius Black might help you see."

"'SEVERUS!" Draco finally saw. Their Potions Master was a reclusive and withdrawn man who seemed to have a deep sadness in him. He was nice enough but it was obvious that the man had had a deep pain in his past. He wasn't bitter at all but sure enough, they had written that he was bitter and asked that Sirius stop picking on him. "What do you think happened?"

"I don't know, why don't we ask sometime?" Harry said. Harry remembered that when Sirius had escaped Azkaban, Severus had been irate. It was the first time he could say he'd seen the Potions Master so angry. He was normally a quiet man.

"Who? Professor Severus?" Draco asked.

"Yeah. I don't think high school Sirius would know what happened to Severus in the future." Harry rolled his eyes and Draco flushed in embarrassment.

"Shut up. I'm just thrown off because I always remembered Severus as a sad but kind man. Not bitter." Draco muttered.

"I know what you mean but there was a time when I thought Severus was bad. It was only after I found out that he was a spy for the Order that those thoughts changed. People could be misleading. But your right, Severus was never anything but nice to me and anyone else." Harry nodded.

So it went that Harry pushed Hermione to finish her stasis spell. When questioned he caved and told her that he found out how to send messages back in time. They spent a night practicing despite Harry's previous experience. He didn't tell her though. He certainly didn't want THAT lecture. Especially after they had already inadvertently changed something. However, after that, Harry had a working stasis spell. Hermione postponed that lubricant potion because she didn't feel it necessary since parchment traveled through time nicely. Harry didn't mind yet. He eventually wanted to go himself but he felt that messages would do just fine for the time being. The next day he sent a note to Draco to inform him on the stasis spell and to ask that they meet in the shrieking shack for further correspondence.

::

Severus watched the two boys sneak through the halls together after curfew from a dark corner. He was supposed to be patrolling but he didn't see the need to lord over the children like a tyrant. They needed to have a bit of fun too. Curfew was overrated. He didn't stop them from sneaking off together. Seeing them together reminded him of his years in school. Or rather, seventh year. It was a wonderful time that followed two more wonderful years before tragedy fell. He didn't want to think about that, though. He wanted to have his wonderful memories of seventh year. The year Sirius apologized for being a prat all those previous years and began a slow courtship of him.

::

"_Stacio Tempus_" Harry put his want to his head and felt an odd pop inside his mind before all was normal again. "I hope this works long term…"

"You have so much faith in your brainy friend." Draco drawled sarcastically before holding his wand to his head too. "_Stacio Tempus_"

"I'd never hold the business end of a wand to my temple without complete trust in her ability." Harry sniffed. "Let's get on with it. What did they write back?"

There were four separate letters inside the space below the floorboard. Draco and Harry looked at each other.

"This is odd. I wonder why they did that. They couldn't have been waiting for our reply. We'd be able to send it right back to them seconds after they put the paper down." Harry said. Draco nodded and started to pick up the papers. He opened a couple and chuckled.

"It looks like they were sneaking letters individually at different times. I think they were doing it behind each others backs."

"Let's read my mother's first." Harry picked the now familiar cursive writing.

_We have talked it over and feel that knowing the future might be disastrous for our present time and ultimately yours. You have proved that it is possible to send messages back in time. Congratulations. You have a successful experiment. Please use it wisely. Better yet, don't use it at all. Spells of that nature are borderline dark arts._

_Lily Evans_

"Your mom's boring." Draco wrinkled his nose and reached for another parchment. "Let's hope your dad and his friends aren't. Otherwise we'll have to do my parents next."

Harry sighed. On one hand he was happy that his mother was a bright and morally upright person but on the other hand he really wanted validation for doing this. He didn't want to feel guilty. Next was Remus Lupin's.

_I know that Lily has put a parchment in the hole that sates that we aren't going to participate in this conversation any longer but I can't help it. I'm in the room November 2nd 1978. 3:00pm. if you want to converse with me that is the time you should send this. The main worry that I have is Werewolf rights. I'm sure that you know what this room is normally used for. Well, I want to have a normal life. As normal as a Werewolf can get. Please let me know what we can do in the past that will help Werewolves like me have a better future._

_Remus Lupin "Moony"_

"How cute." Draco said sarcastically. "You think we can help?"

"Yeah. Professor Severus made a revolutionary wolfsbane potion for Professor Remus. It keeps him sane when he transforms. It's not much but it's a start and if we give it to Professor Remus when he was in seventh year, it might make his adult life easier." Harry said. He was beginning to understand Draco a little bit better. He felt he HAD to act a certain way even though he might not want to. Inside, Draco was a kind person.

"Yeah. Despite Professor Severus fighting for him when he was Defense teacher he had to leave when his secret came out." Draco nodded.

"I'm not sure if it will help with that but it will help ease his mind when he transforms, I think." Harry said and they made a note to ask Professor Severus for the potion ingredients for his special Wolfsbane Potion. They'll send it to the right time so Remus didn't have to wait.

"Next, James Potter." Draco picked up Harry's father's letter. He tried to read it and then wrinkled his nose and gave the letter to Harry between his index finger and thumb like it was diseased. "You should read it. You guys have the same handwriting."

_Looks like Moony beat me to it. I see that he left Lily's letter in there too. I'll keep it in there for laughs. I had no intention of letting this go. If you know anything about me you know that I like excitement. In all seriousness I have a few questions. One, do Lily and I get married? I was thinking about asking her when we graduate but I don't know. Well, whatever…Do we? Also, do I become an Auror? I was thinking about doing that too...I know that you have qualms about letting big information go but I think if I was already planning on doing these things it wouldn't be that big of a deal. Like the Quidditch match. Let me know! I'm here November 3rd, 1978. 7 at night!_

_Prongs_

"You going to let him know?" Draco asked.

"Sort of." Harry said and flipped the parchment over.

_I think you know what will become of you and Lily. If you're going to ask her to marry you then you two will get married. Your love is legendary, after all. Ever since you laughed at her for falling in the lake and having seaweed in her hair. Be good to her. As for Auror training, take one step at a time. You probably know about the Order of the Phoenix. That is going to be your "Auror" training. Good luck with that and be careful of the enemies you make._

"You think that's giving too much information?" Draco asked even as he reached for the letter they assumed was Sirius'.

"There's nothing wrong with saying be careful." Harry said defensively. He was well aware of the fact that he was treading on thin ice but he couldn't help it. Wasn't this the whole point?

_Ok, I'm glad that I don't have to write this in front of anyone seeing as how they have already written. It's a bit embarrassing. The thing is, when you said that Severus was a bitter man because of me it hurt. I know that I singled him out in the past but that was because he interested me. He was always so quiet and I wanted him to show some emotion. I tried to rile him up. That's when I found out that he looked incredibly cute when he was flustered. James helped me because he loves a good prank but in all reality I'm the one who always instigated our interaction with Severus. I think I like him. What I want to know is do we manage to forget the past and get closer together? I don't know how to say this without sounding corny or stupid but. I want to get together with him romantically. Does it happen? _

"Wow…" Draco said. Harry seconded that. "What do we say to THAT?"

"I don't know…I didn't know Sirius thought that way." Harry was uncomfortable.

"You…don't have a problem with it do you?" Draco asked. He didn't know why but it would bother him immensely if Harry hated the idea of two males getting together. He never really thought about it himself. Of course he looked at other guys every now and then but he had always attributed it to comparing them to himself.

"No. I like Severus." Harry was confused a moment before he made an 'O' for surprise. "You mean two guys…together?"

"I don't know…" Draco fidgeted with the edge of the paper. Harry quickly yanked the paper out of his hands and wrote something on it before sending it back to 1978. "Hey! What did you write?"

"I told him to go for it. You only live once and I want him to spend as much time as possible with Severus." Harry said. "Especially since he doesn't live as long as he should."

"Is it ok to change history that much?" Draco asked.

"It doesn't matter. That is a life lesson that spans all time. If I didn't say it, someone else would have. Why not sooner." Harry said. Draco was sure that Harry was meddling more than he should but couldn't dig up enough energy to care. Draco started to fidget again when he noticed that Harry was staring at him. "What do you think of two guys together?"

"I don't know…" Draco said. Harry leaned forward and Draco tensed up. He looked into Harry's green eyes for a moment before the other boy smiled and leaned away.

"I suppose you'll have to find out." Harry said casually. "After all, our potions master might be gay."

"Yeah…" Draco sounded oddly distant even to his own ears. He grouped the letters and handed them to Harry. "I don't think I have a problem with it anyway."

"Good." Harry smiled again and shook the letters. "You got to hand it to the Marauders. They know how to shock a person."

Draco's ears hummed when Harry said 'Good'. He didn't want to think about why he was happy. It was easier just to be happy and leave it at that.


	6. The Werewolf Rights Crusade

Draco and Harry play matchmaker and Werewolf rights activists. Hermione and Ron grow suspicious.

Disclaimer: not mine.

**The Werewolf Rights Crusade**

Hermione tapped her quill absent mindedly. She stared straight ahead as Professor Severus tried to explain the correct way to peel milk weed to Neville Longbottom. The man had too much patience. Even Hermione would have given up on the boy years ago. However, Professor Severus was sure that he could make a decent potion maker out of him. Good luck to him.

"Psst." Ron leaned over and tried to get Hermione's attention.

"What is it Ronald?" Hermione whispered.

"What's the spell again?" Ron asked. Hermione knew what he was talking about. The time travel spell. It irked her to know Harry knew it (and found it). She was nervous at what he was using it for. She routinely casts the stasis spell just in case. Now an even MORE irresponsible boy wants to play with it? Over Hermione's dead body.

"I'm not going to tell you. We promised that we would do it together so we don't mess with the flow of time." Hermione whispered furiously back. Ron muttered something about Harry and sneaking off but went back to listening to Professor Severus.

It was true. Hermione had noticed it as well. Harry had been awfully secretive lately and the fact that he knew the correct way to cast the time travel spell with ease made her worry that he had used it previously. She wondered what had already changed before she completed the Stasis Spell. The intensity in which Harry pushed her to complete it only added to her suspicion. Harry had already changed something and he knew it. Hermione tried to think of something that seemed out of place but it was a lost cause. If it had always been there in HER timeline, she wouldn't know it was ever different before. Hermione looked over toward Harry and frowned. How had he managed to get as much information as he did? Who was helping him? Someone had to be helping him research. Even Hermione couldn't have gathered as much information as he did. Most of the books Harry referenced were incredibly rare. Some were questionably dark. Hermione pursed her lips. No…it couldn't be. Harry would never ask a Slytherin for help, let alone Draco Malfoy. Would he? Hermione wanted to know.

After class Harry told his friends he'd meet up with them later and waited around until everyone left. Everyone except for Draco Malfoy but that was on purpose. What wasn't on purpose was that Hermione and Ron were peeking into the room from around the doorframe. Draco and Harry approached their favorite potions professor.

"What can I do for you boys?" Severus leaned against his desk and waited for their questions. Both of them were doing well in his class (Harry after some guidance) so he didn't know what they would ask. Did they want his advice on their relationship? That would be a surprise. Even though he was approachable, many children felt uncomfortable discussing their love interests with a professor.

"Several things, sir." Harry started. "One, we would like a comprehensive instruction manual for making your famous Wolfsbane potion."

"What would this be for?" Severus was getting alarmed. Did the boys get infected?

"Don't worry." Draco put his hands up in a calming manner. "We're doing this for a cause but we aren't infected."

"That's right. It's for our…" Harry looked at Draco and thought of something on the bat. "For our Werewolf Rights Crusade."

"Yeah, we want to raise awareness for the Werewolf cause." Draco nodded and smiled. Inside he was laughing hysterically.

"How thoughtful." Severus said slowly. It was a drawl that clearly said, 'I don't believe you'. But he reached into his desk and pulled out the instructions anyway. "Do be careful with this."

"Oh, we will sir!" Harry grinned and took the paper.

"Thank you for supporting our cause." Draco said smartly. He shifted his eyes nervously to Harry. Harry gave him an encouraging nod. "We also have a personal question to ask you."

"And what would that be?" Severus straightened up. 'Here it goes', he thought.

"Well, sir. It was something that my godfather once told me before he died." Harry started. He was careful to watch Severus' reaction and noted the slight tensing up. "He told me that he had regretted that he had allowed himself to be caught and thrown in Azkaban for the main reason of leaving his one love. Allowing his one love to believe he had been the betrayer for so long. Also, that he hadn't had enough time to be with this one love when he had managed to escape. It was his life long regret that he hadn't been with this person."

Severus tried to keep himself from showing emotion but the sly grin of Sirius Black kept showing itself in his mind. He remembered his feelings when Sirius was convicted. Oh, how he wanted to disbelieve it but the evidence had all pointed at Sirius. He was irate when he escaped, he wanted to avenge the Potters and he went to kill him at the shrieking shack that one night. When he found out that Peter had been the betrayer and had sent Sirius away to Azkaban for so long, Severus had broken down in tears. He had had one night of comfort from his love before they were forced into separate parts. Severus couldn't be seen with Sirius because he couldn't risk his cover as a spy for the order. Sirius was still considered a criminal so he couldn't be out in the open so much. Then he died. Sirius was gone and Severus was left to pick up the pieces. He felt twin hands on either side of his arms and he looked up to the somber faces of Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. How ironic that Gryffindor and Slytherin would be together again.

"So, you boys did a bit of research." Severus smiled sadly. "Yes, it was tragic but you can't change the past. You have to live with it."

"That's what you think." Harry muttered.

"AH! Well, thank you for your time." Draco pushed Harry away before Severus could question him.

Out in the hallway Hermione and Ron shuffled away from the door and around the corner as to not be seen. They were confused. Was this about time travel or Werewolf Rights? What was this about Harry's Godfather? The two boys exited the room and Hermione listened in more intently.

"Absolutely not!" Draco tried to be firm. "That's changing too much."

"It's different. It's righting a wrong that never should have occurred in the first place!" Harry, aping Hermione's very words, said.

"What if you make it worse?" Draco was starting to bend. Harry found it easier to convince Draco to do questionable things that it was to convince Hermione.

"It's just a warning. It's just a potion. There's nothing wrong with telling someone to exercise some caution and there certainly isn't anything wrong with making a person's life easier." Harry said as the two walked down the hallway together. "I can't believe I'm trying to convince you. Are you a Slytherin or aren't you?"

"I'm beginning to think you are." Draco chuckled a bit.

"I almost was but I talked the Sorting Hat into putting me in Gryffindor." Harry chuckled too.

"NO FUCKING WAY!" Draco pushed the other boy into the wall as Harry laughed. The two talked and joked away from the ears of Hermione.

Ron and Hermione just stared at each other in shock. They had absolutely no idea what had just happened. They knew one thing. This had something to do with time. It had something to do with Wolfsbane. It had something to do with Harry's godfather and Severus. It didn't take Hermione long to find out exactly what Harry was meddling with. What she didn't know is where Draco fit into all of this.

::

The boys sent the potion ingredient to Remus that night with a little note explaining it. They cast the stasis spell and sent it to the November 2nd date.

_This is a special wolfsbane potion that Severus Snape made in the future to help keep your mind sane when you transform. While it's not much, we hope it will help you. In the future you did not have this potion until you are well on your way to middle age. Having it early might make your life easier. Please keep it secret. Severus HAS NOT made it yet in your time, you understand? If you interfere with the making of this potion it might make him NOT make it in the future. We'll continue to research ways to make Werewolf rights better._

_G and D_

Draco and Harry wrote to Sirius next.

_You and Severus have something special and I'm sure if he doesn't already feel the same way about you in your time, he certainly loves you in ours. Please be careful in the future. While you may trust all of your friends with your life, do you think you should trust them with other people's lives? We cannot disclose any information but what we can ask is that you use caution on important information in the future. _

"Oh. I have a bad feeling about this." Draco said as Harry cast the second spell.

"Think of it this way..." Harry started. "If it turned out to be a complete disaster, do you think we wouldn't have thought to send a note to ourselves warning us not to send those out?"

"Such logic." Draco smiled. "What if we were the leading fighters for Werewolf Rights and didn't even know it?"

"I guess we'll find out." Harry said. "With the stasis spell, we're unaffected by whatever changes happened so just play it by ear when you notice something a little off."

"Can do." Draco saluted.

::

Hermione bit at her quill nervously on her bed as she wrote her first letter. At first she had every intention of confronting Harry and telling him to stop his foolishness but ultimately decided to wait it out to see what would happen. It was when he used her very words as a defense that made her stop to think. Righting a wrong that never should have occurred in the first place. What if that was the case? What if they were meant to right this wrong for a better future? Hermione decided to do a little probing in the past herself. It couldn't hurt could it?

At the same time Ron was sneaking out of his bed as Harry slept. He crept over to the other boy's trunk and took out the parchment that held the spell to send messages back in time. If Harry could do it, he could. He wasn't irresponsible. He could handle a few harmless letters.


	7. Behind the Backs of Others

Draco and Harry talk serious. Ron meddles. Hermione caves to temptation. Tralalalala.

**Behind the Backs of Others**

Professor Lupin strolled into the classroom and smiled fondly at his students. He immediately went to the front and opened the dusty old book he was going to use for the day's lesson. He completely missed the four equally dumbfounded stares of four of his students. Ron, Hermione, Harry and Draco did NOT expect Remus Lupin to be Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. That honor was for a young (and completely hopeless in Harry's opinion) post-grad named Albert Beatle. But there Remus was, standing there like he was meant to.

"Ok, we'll continue were we left off yesterday with the correct reactions to a run-in with a dragon." Professor Lupin said brightly and started a quick review.

Harry was immediately bombarded with two swans to the side of his head. He already knew who sent them. One was from Hermione and it was written with large angry letters, 'WHAT DID YOU DO!?' and another was from Draco, with excited scrawl, 'Look at what we did!' Harry had expected one from Ron too but it never showed up. He looked over toward his redheaded friend and noticed he was scrunched low in his seat and shifting his eyes around nervously. The only think Harry thought was, 'what did he do?'

::

"I can't believe you sent Wolfsbane instructions to a seventeen year old in 1978!" Hermione admonished as soon as class was over and she pulled Harry into an empty room. "You're lucky that is all that seems to be changed!"

"Well, that we've seen so far." Draco saddled up to Harry's side and grinned like the Cheshire Cat.

"You! You should have done more to stop him!" Hermione rounded on the blonde but lost a bit of her thunder when all she received was a raised eyebrow and a look that said, quite clearly, 'you affect me, how?'

"Oh, come on, 'mione." Harry groaned. "Nothing BAD happened. Something GOOD happened. Remus is our Defense teacher again. Apparently having the potion at such a young age has made him more responsible when taking it. He didn't transform without a clear mind that year with Sirius so he wasn't found out."

"He...didn't transform without a clear mind..." Hermione furrowed her brows. "What would that have affected?"

"Other than his disbarment from Hogwarts' teaching staff?" Draco took to looking at his nails.

"This is serious!" Hermione pleaded. Ron glared at Draco.

"What does he have to do with all of this?" He demanded and rounded on Harry. At least said Gryffindor had the good faith to look guilty. "Don't tell me he knows the spell."

"He's the one who found it." Harry muttered. Draco puffed out his chest proudly and smirked at Ron. The red head growled.

"I can't believe he was trusted with the spell and I wasn't!" Ron yelled, flinging an accusing finger in the direction of a very amused Draco.

"He FOUND it." Harry tried again, annunciating each word clearly. Ron threw his arms in the air.

"Well, escuuuuse me!" Ron stormed toward the door. "I'll be in my room if either of you ever decide to trust me over a Slytherin."

"Neither of you are bothered by that?" Draco stuck his thumb in the direction that Ron took in his escape and looked at the two unflustered Gryffindors left in the room.

"He does that sometimes." Harry shrugged. "You should have seen the tantrum he threw during the TriWizard Tournament. It was legendary."

"He just needs time to cool off." Hermione nodded.

"Good Merlin's under knickers…He's like a girl on her period…" Draco said in wonder as he turned back toward the door. Harry let out a little "Heh." While Draco was almost positive that Hermione covered up her laugh with a cough.

Meanwhile, Ron was storming straight up to his room. He was muttering under his breath the whole way. More than a few of the younger students dove for cover away from the volatile red head. He got up to his dorm and slammed the door behind him. He reached under his pillow for the spell copy and glared at it.

"Trust Malfoy with the knowledge, does he?" Ron growled. He conveniently forgot that Draco was the one who found the spell in the first place. "Well, I already sent a letter out and look what happened? I saved Professor Lupin's job!"

Ron reached under a hiding place on his bed and pulled out an old looking Parchment. He grinned. His first reply was there.

In all reality, Ron had nothing to do with the Professor Lupin incident and his letter had actually fallen into the hands of Narcissa Black. Quite literally. She was visiting one of lovers in Gryffindor Tower that night and was brushing out her hair after their vigorous lovemaking when a letter blinked into existence in her lap. She didn't waste any time whisking it away into her robes. After saying her goodbyes, she snuck out of the room and hummed back to the Slytherin dungeons. Narcissa Black was a closet kleptomaniac, besides; the letter appeared on her lap. It was meant for her. The fact that it was addressed to Gryffindor house was a small little detail that could be overlooked. The letter read as follows:

_Gryffindor House,_

_Hi. I'm a classmate some 23 years from now! I'm communicating with you through time. I would like to help a friend of mine who is in Gryffindor house too. He would be happy to know how things were back then. He is interested in Werewolf rights or so he said today. Send me a letter by sticking a reply about this into the foot of this bed. There's a hole there that I'm sure was there in the past too because there's a name etched into it A.D. 1940. Looking forward to hearing from you, whoever you are!_

_R. Weasley_

That had been interesting to read. Narcissa folded the piece of paper nicely and sat down on her desk to write a reply. Next time she went to visit her Gryffindor lover she would slip the letter in the bed. She was looking forward to it.

Back in modern time, Ron unfolded the parchment and read the reply. It was an elegant handwriting.

_Dear boy Weasley, _

_How surprised I was that this letter landed on me last night. What a shock to find it was written so far in the future! You stated that your friend was interested in this time. I was wondering why? Werewolf rights? Whatever for? So many questions I have for you, boy. I was thinking that this isn't the best spot for our correspondence. Too many people around and you have to understand, dealing with time magic is a dangerous thing. Some people (people who just don't understand) might think of it as dark. This mustn't discourage you, dear boy. What you are doing is for your friend. How noble. I have an idea, a place I found that nobody goes in my time. Hopefully it is still the case in yours. It is an empty room on the fourth floor. It is two rooms to the north of the girl's bathroom. I will go there to see if you have written to me. If not, I request you tell me the room is in use in your time by sending me a reply November 4__th__ at 10pm 1978. I'll be in this Gryffindor room then._

_Signed, N.B._

Ron unfolded his legs and started toward the exit. He was going to write to this N.B. and start making some changes to this time. Then Harry will see what an asset he was.

::

"So…" Draco, who was relaxing on top of a desk in an empty room, started casually. "Are you sure you should be here instead of consoling your stupid friend?"

"Ron isn't stupid." Harry smiled. "Foolish, maybe sometimes, but stupid, no."

"I meant Granger." Draco grinned. Harry laughed and sat back in his chair. He idly wondered why Draco didn't sit in a chair like a normal person whenever he was outside of a class. Then he ultimately decided he didn't care. He liked seeing Draco like that. He was beginning to think he just liked seeing Draco period. Perhaps they should start getting closer. Draco didn't seem to mind being around him and Harry had already decided he wanted more with the blonde.

"Both of them are old enough to survive without me for a night." Harry stretched in the chair and kept one eye open to see Draco's reaction. The blonde was looking at Harry's exposed stomach. It thrilled Harry to know that. Maybe he should strike now. "Tell me why you're here. We aren't planning on sending any messages and there really isn't any research to do right now."

"I think you're beginning to know why." Draco sighed. He knew this was going to happen. The two had been skirting on the edge of friendship since this whole thing started. Now where was one to go after friendship wasn't enough anymore? Did Draco want to take it that far? It didn't matter what Draco wanted because one way or another Harry was going to know he was attracted to him. There was no way around it. Harry was obviously interested. "Why do you want me to say it?"

"I would like it if you said it because it would make me happy to hear it." Harry peered into Draco's eyes. The two took to staring at each other. Draco was the one who finally broke the contact. He quickly gathered his things, avoiding Harry's gaze. Draco felt like he was too much of a coward to see things through to the end. Why did they have to start thinking about this? It was better when they didn't know how the other felt. Then Draco wouldn't have had to examine it. "Where are you going?"

"This isn't working. We were fools to think we could be friends." Draco made a bee-line toward the exit. He didn't make it far because Harry had sprung at him and grabbed his arm.

"You're right! We can't be friends!" He yelled and slammed Draco hard into the closed door. The blonde grunted and squeezed his eyes shut. "Being just friends with you will never be enough for me! I want more!"

"You think I don't!?" Draco yelled back after he found the courage to look Harry in the eye again. "You think that this whole thing wasn't just an excuse to spend more time with you?"

"Was it?" Harry felt butterflies in his stomach.

"I didn't want to analyze it!" Draco was panicking. "I just did it but I didn't want to think about the reasons. The reasons would make me think about how this was such a bad idea!"

"WHY!?" Harry was getting angry again. "Why would this be a bad idea?"

"Let's think about this, if my house mates WOULDN'T kill me for it, my father certainly would!"

"Fuck them!" Harry screamed and shoved Draco against the wall more. The blazing of his green eyes instantly calmed Draco down. Actually, it was more like; he couldn't feel anything but shock and awe. "I don't give a damn what your house or father thinks!"

"Wha—" Draco tried to make a reply to that but was cut off by the feeling of Harry's lips on his. Draco could only hang on for his life as Harry attacked his lips. He should have known that when Harry Potter got passionate about something he would give it is all. That would go for relationships as well. The word 'relationship' almost had Draco laughing hysterically.

"I'll protect you from them…" Harry murmured into Draco's neck. "For now, they don't need to know. Nobody does so just don't think about it anymore."

Draco was happy to comply.

::

Hermione re-read her letter again. She was at war with herself as she thought about its contents and thought about the various consequences that could befall the world if she decided to send it. She knew she had thought about doing it last night. That was when she wrote the letter to begin with. But the events of the day had stalled her sending the letter out. Changes could be drastic. On the other hand, it could give her what she had always wanted but could never have. Remus Lupin. She had done the whole, embarrassing confession in third year when he had taught and that ended up in a kind but firm discussion on the age difference between them and student/teacher relationships. Did he not know that she was smart and mature enough to be CONSIDERED an adult? Perhaps, now that he was in close proximity again, she could monitor any changes that would be unfavorable easier. Making her decision, a decision clouded by young love, Hermione Granger cast the spell that sent her message back in time. She had thought ahead, the letter would automatically find it's intended target and the instructions inside would ensure the reply letter would find her back. She couldn't wait to see what young 17 year old Remus Lupin was like.


	8. Something Completely Different

Back in the past, various reactions to the communications between the two times happen. Read to see what they are.

**And Now For Something Completely Different**

Remus didn't know what to make of it. Sure, he had been sending messages to future students but they were specific times and places. Never had a future letter collided with his head in the middle of dinner before. He wondered what Griffin and Dragon meant by that. Was it that important? He was going to go to the Shrieking Shack that evening anyway. Remus looked sideways to see if anyone noticed his message. James and Lily were giggling as they tried to feed each other food. Peter was irritably stabbing his food and Sirius was sighing and looking over at the Slytherin table. If they noticed the flying message, no one said anything. Remus shrunk low and opened the letter.

_Remus,_

_I know you were expecting a letter from the others but I couldn't help myself as you were the one person I wanted to contact. I was horribly upset that they proceeded with sending back the first one without my knowledge. I guess they have their own relationship and chose to do this alone. They got so confused though and I had to make a stasis spell that will allow them to remember the way things were without the changes they made. They HAVE made changes. It was awfully irresponsible of them but they made changes for the good so I can't really complain. Things are messed up in this time. It is only understandable that they would want to fix it. Unfortunately, I cannot allow myself to tamper with the way things are. It isn't my place. I don't have control over my two friends, though, so please take what information they give with the upmost seriousness. I would, however, like to converse with you. I'm very interested in you._

_In order to communicate with me all you have to do is write on the paper provided and tap your wand on it and say "Go back". It should travel through time and seek me out. _

_Yours truly,_

_H.G._

Remus' eyes widened and he felt a blush start to form. It was a girl that much was obvious by the handwriting and the way girls talk. Was she his age in the future or…old? Time was confusing. He waited until he was back in the seclusion of his room before he returned her letter.

_Dear H.G., _

_Your letter was very eloquent. I'm sorry that your friends proceeded with something this important without you. If it is any consolation, the information they gave me helped me through last month. I don't know how much you know so I'll leave it at that. It's amazing that you made up a spell all on your own. Are you a Sorceress? How old are you in the future? Did we go to school together in this time? Forgive me but what did you mean by "interested" in me?_

_Remus_

::

Sirius was looking at Severus again. He knew he should stop because he was acting suspicious but he couldn't help it. The Slytherin was so small and pale. He was always hunched over a book, trying to blend in and be invisible to all those around him. Sirius always noticed him though. He seemed to have Severus radar. He knew when the other boy entered a room or when he snuck out of the room. No one else seemed to see him but Sirius did. When he first met the Slytherin in first year he had singled him out of a crowd because it seemed like Severus was trying to shrink into nothing. It was the desire to be overlooked that Severus had that made Sirius want to bother him. Then he learned about the inner workings of Severus Snape. It was gradual. Years of picking on the boy when he should have spent that time kissing him but eventually Sirius fell in love. He fell in love with Severus' intelligence, calm demeanor, his observant nature and ultimately his insecurities. It was a strange thing to love insecurities but Sirius knew it had to do with his need to build Severus up. Give him the sense of self worth that he knew the other boy was capable of.

Sirius got up from his chair and slowly made his way to Severus. The boy must have knew Sirius was coming because he scrunched up even further and pulled the book in front of his face. It was terribly cute. Sirius smiled.

"What are you reading?" He asked softly as he took up a seat right beside him. Thankfully, Severus liked to sit alone so they were relatively isolated in the Slytherin section of the great hall. As expected, Severus chose to ignore Sirius in hopes that the Gryffindor would get bored and go away. After seven years, he should know better. Sirius repeated what was in the message from the future again in his head to give him courage. '_If he doesn't already feel the same way about you in your time, he certainly loves you in ours.' _ "Oh, a potions book…you like potions?"

"Why? Are you going to douse me with one?" Severus eyed Sirius suspiciously. Sirius chuckled and threw his arm around Severus' narrow shoulders. He tried not to flinch guiltily when Severus tensed up at the contact.

"Look, I know I don't deserve it, but do you think you could give me another shot?" Sirius tried to sound as casual as possible as he slowly rubbed up and down Severus' arm. Severus didn't appear to be breathing.

"A shot at humiliating me? A shot at hexing me? A shot at both?" Severus' angry voice made Sirius ashamed. He released his hold on the other boy and looked at his hands clasped in his lap.

"A shot at making it up to you for all the things I've done in the past." He said. He tried once again to repeat the future words to give him courage. "I'm sorry. I wanted to get to know you and I wasn't very mature about the way I went about doing it."

"You certainly weren't." Severus said snippily. He closed his book and faced the Gryffindor. "What do you mean, get to know me?"

"I wanted to know you. I wanted you to see me. I don't know. I just wanted your attention." Sirius was really regretting this. It wasn't until he heard the soft laugh escape Severus' lips that he finally looked up at the object of his affection.

"Do you honestly think that I can be your friend that easily? Even if this isn't a joke you plan on playing on me, I have suffered too much under you and your friends to just let it go like that."

"I didn't expect it to be easy!" Sirius tried. "This isn't a joke either. To me, this is very serious! I'm sorry! I'm sorry for what I did to you in the past! If you want, I can make up for it the rest of my life!"

"It might take you that long." Severus smiled and got up out of his seat. Sirius despairingly watched him move away. The Slytherin paused and looked at Sirius over his shoulder. "You coming? You have to make it up to me after all. You can start by walking me to class."

"Yes!" Sirius grinned and saddled up to Severus' side. The Slytherin handed the Gryffindor his books. Sirius couldn't have been happier.

::

Narcissa hummed a little tune as she opened the dusty chest that was in the corner of the old unused room. Her future friend didn't give her a message last time she was with her lover in Gryffindor so she assumed he had sent her the reply in the room she specified. She was right. Amid the dust was a new piece of parchment.

_N.B._

_As far as Werewolf Rights are concerned, I think that is a front for something far more sinister. I think my friend is being seduced by a Slytherin. A male Slytherin. Not like that's a bad thing! But I just don't get what he sees in him. He's a Malfoy! Well, I know you don't care about hearing about those things so I'll do my best to answer your questions but I can't let too much go._

_R. Weasley_

Narcissa chuckled. He can't let too much go? He already gave a lot. There was no doubt he was Gryffindor but to give his last name? Narcissa knew of the Weasleys. An old but poor pureblood family. If she remembered right, didn't Molly Prewett marry a Weasley? And haven't they five children already? Twins were born in April. She normally wouldn't have known. How could she remember each unfortunate family crawling on the underbelly of the Wizarding world? However, both the Weasleys as well as the Prewetts had the blessed fortune of being connected to the Blacks in some faint way. Knowing the lineage of her family line was important to Narcissa. If she were to attract an eligible and rich man in the future she'll need to have more than just a pretty face. Especially to an equally old family line like the Malfoys. Speaking of…didn't this boy from the future say something about a Malfoy? Another thing he let slip. As far as Narcissa knew (and she did her research) The Malfoys only have one heir. His name was Luscius and he was the one she was eventually going to snag into marriage. Did their offspring develop a crush on another boy in the future? Perhaps knowing what will happen will better help Narcissa deal with a wayward son in the future.

_Dearest friend from the future,_

_How lovely, you found my spot. I would entrust complete loyalty to you to keep it secret. This is my special spot that I go to when I want to be alone. There was something that interested me in your last message. A name really. You see, I go to school with a Malfoy. I think I should know if this is the same one you speak of in the future. It is only a little information. Something that wouldn't harm the time to come at all, don't you think?_

_N.B._

Narcissa let out a small sound of surprise when immediately after she placed her letter in the trunk a reply blinked into existence on top of it. Smiling to herself she opened the reply.

_N.B._

_Couldn't be the same one. The Malfoy I'm talking about isn't even born yet. My friend is in the same grade as me just like this Malfoy. You must be thinking of Luscius. He's old enough to have gone to school during the 70s. _

_R. Weasley_

_-_

_Watch it. I think I might be considered old in your time too! – N.B._

_- _

_Right. Sorry. – R. W._

_-_

_It's alright. So…Luscius has a son. That would have made the Malfoys proud. Having an heir is important. Its funny that the son might be gay though. I can't wait to see Luscius' face when it happens! – N.B._

_-_

_You can't tell! It might ruin the flow of time! He might never be born at all…well, that might not be so bad… - R.W. _

_-_

_I won't tell a soul. I know you're just joking about wanting him to not be born at all. That would almost be like killing. He's still a human being after all. I know you're a good boy. It's good you found me. I'll make sure this is our little secret. – N.B._

Narcissa smiled serenely as she carefully placed the parchment in the trunk. As she left the room she started to hum her same sweet little tune. It didn't really matter that her future son could be gay (if the future note writer could be trusted). All she cared about was getting married to Luscius and birthing that same son. Being able to expect and handle the situation would ensure that she was well taken care of in the future. Marrying a Malfoy and producing an heir would solidify her in high society regardless of who the heir slept with in the future. Perhaps she'll watch the Weasley family more closely. There is bound to be a child born later with the first initial of R.


	9. Romantic Interlude

I like to think of Narcissa Malfoy as a cougar. You know, the older ladies who like to flirt with younger men and who are often attractive, rich and "preditorial". I think it fits.

This isn't necessarily a progression of the story so no major changes in the plotline, I wanted to focus on relationships at this point.

*Narcissa makes herself known. Draco and Harry get closer. Hermione flirts openly. Remus is tortured.

**Romantic interlude **

Narcissa Malfoy, powerfully rich and powerfully built, walked through the halls of Hogwarts with pride. She knew she looked good for her age and she used it to her advantage. It was in the way she walked, shapely legs and round hips moved in just the right way. More than a few of the school's students turned to watch her strut by. Her smooth face had not a single visible wrinkle; her hair bounced and glowed like any young girl half her age. Her stomach was flat and her breasts were full. Narcissa Malfoy was a view to behold. What she was doing in Hogwarts wasn't a secret. She visited often. It started when her darling son attended. Now she served as a consultant to Albus Dumbledore. Her husband, Luscius Malfoy, didn't disagree. It allowed him to use Narcissa as a spy. She didn't care either way. The little war didn't matter much to her. She was a double agent anyway. To whom? Well, Narcissa hadn't decided yet. As she walked on she noticed a streak of red hair. A smile graced her perfectly painted lips. Ronald Weasley. Oh, how she adored the boy.

"My my my, boy Weasley." She purred. "Eighteen yet?"

"Uh, Mrs. Malfoy?" Ron froze like a deer in headlights as Narcissa Malfoy trailed a manicured finger down the length of his jaw.

"Please, how many times must I tell you to call me Cissy?" Narcissa fake pouted and tapped Ron on the nose before sashaying away humming a sweet little tune. Ron watched her hips wiggle down to the end of the hallway with a look of pure incredulity.

"You're so lucky!" Seamus Finnegan punched Ron lightly in the shoulder. "Mrs. Malfoy is so hot!"

"Why does she always pay attention to you?" Dean Thomas huffed.

"Always?" Ron was still confused. "Since when always?"

"I dunno. Since you were 11, I suppose, but it escalated since you got older." Seamus was looking at Ron oddly. "It's always been that way, mate. It's one of the main reason Malfoy hates you, remember?"

"Oh, uh, yeah." Ron shifted his eyes nervously. "I'll see you guys later."

"He's an odd one." Seamus shook his head in wonder as he watched Ron race crazily down the hallway.

"I don't know what Mrs. Malfoy sees in him." Dean muttered irritably.

::

"When will you decide to take the next step?" Draco, lounging in the grass with his head in Harry's lap, asked. They had found a secluded area on school grounds where nobody usually went and thought it a perfect opportunity to spend time together outside of the stuffy room they usually holed up in.

"We just admitted our feelings. I'd like to take it slow for right now." Harry smiled fondly and petted Draco's hair. The blond chuckled and rearranged himself so he was facing Harry, arms on either side of his legs.

"I meant the time travel thing. Don't tell my your satisfied with just sending messages. Don't you want to see your family?" Draco asked as he leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on Harry's neck. The Gryffindor made a rumble in his throat before pulling the blonde up so that he was straddling Harry. Draco's eyes were wide with surprise but didn't move.

"Of course I'm not satisfied with just that." Harry smiled and kissed Draco's nose. "I knew that going into this. I want it all."

"We're still talking about the Time Traveling, right?" Draco said breathlessly.

"I think it's a little bit of both." Harry grinned. Draco's eyelids fluttered closed and Harry leaned into the kiss...

"MASTER HARRY POTTER!" Dobby's surprised voice rang out. Draco leapt off of Harry so fast he was unable to keep his balance and fell back on his bum in front of a flabbergasted Harry. Dobby the elf was to their right in between them, blinking furiously. "Dobby was to get Draco Malfoy for tea with his mum."

"My mum!? What's she doing here?" Draco asked with what could only be considered fright.

"Master Draco Malfoy always has tea with Mistress Malfoy on Saturdays." Dobby was confused. The two boys looked at each other and pursed their lips. This had something to do with time travel.

"Oh, of course." Draco nodded. "Of course I do. I just forgot it was Saturday."

"Dobby?" Harry asked. The little elf turned to him and smiled. "How did you know where Draco was?"

"Mistress Narcissa told me Draco would be with Harry Potter, sir." The freed house elf claimed. "Dobby knows where Harry Potter is."

The two boys looked alarmingly at each other. Narcissa assumed Draco would be with Harry? Since when?

::

_I'm glad that my friends were able to help you. As far as how much I know, I know everything. What my friends said they know, I know. You being a Werewolf, for one. It's ok. You are a very good Werewolf. Now that you have the wolfsbane potion so much younger than you did previously, the timeline has changed and you are a much happier man. I can't tell you how flattered I am that you think I'm a sorceress but to be honest, I haven't even graduated yet. I'm only 16. I just admired you in my time. I've been interested in you since I first saw you. You were clearly kind and inviting. I wish to know your 17 year old self as well since I met you when you've already grown up. I cant deny that I have a crush._

_Yours truly,_

_H.G._

Hermione re-read her letter several times. Once she ripped it up but eventually repario-ed it back together again. She knew that if she sent the letter out that modern, adult Remus Lupin might piece together who sent it. He might even figure out who Griffin and Dragon were. It would be entirely selfish and irresponsible. Hermione bit her lip. The temptation was there. It was almost unavoidable but Hermione knew she was smarter than this. She eyed the paper again. Yes she was smart, but she was also only human and she had wanted Remus Lupin since she was in third year. There must be a reason for the infatuation to continue on three years! Hermione groaned, took out her wand and while closing her eyes sent the paper back in time.

Almost immediately, there was a reply. Hermione stared at that package too. She heaved a huge frustrated sigh and tore open the letter.

_Dearest H.G._

_You must be the smartest witch of your time. To develop a spell at the young age of 16! I must admit, I'm intrigued by you. I never would have thought I'd grow up to be something admired. Am I handsome? What sort of relationship do we have? So many questions! I'm looking forward to hearing from you again. I shouldn't admit to this because I'm supposed to be suave and manly but I got really excited when your reply came moments ago. I never had a secret admirer._

Hermione squealed, falling back on her bed and kicking her feet in the air. She immediately set about writing the reply.

_My dear Remus,_

_You most certainly are handsome! Handsome enough to attract a 16 year old in the future but I've also seen pictures of you when you were younger and I must say, you're even more so at the age of 17. I wish I would have known you at that age. Our relationship is on amicable terms but our age difference causes me to just admire you from afar. It sounds so pathetic on paper but that's why I wanted to talk to you via time travel. Now we are on equal fields. I hope you don't mind. _

Hermione kissed the paper and sent it out. The two send messages back and forth for a good portion of the night. They flirted, yes, but also talked about school, favorite books and what they like to do for fun. Hermione fell even more in love with Remus Lupin that night. She wasn't sure who she loved more. Super mature adult Lupin or hopeful and shy 17 year old Lupin. The last message she got that night before heading to bed was:

_This is killing me now! I want to meet you! When can I see you?_

Hermione sighed. When indeed?

::

Adult Remus Lupin paced back and forth in front of the fire. He held in his hands copies of old letters. Love letters from a secret admirer from his past. The admirer that he fell in love with. Remus made copies each time they corresponded. He was obsessed with his admirer. He had pieced together who it was over the years. With the confession in her third year, it was undeniable. Hermione Granger. She was 16 now…that would mean that sometime during this year she had found out how to send messages back in time. Remus was at a loss on what to do. On one hand he remembered the feelings he had for his little letter writer when he was younger and on the other he was held back by his morals and values. She was sixteen! Even if he waited until she was old enough, it would still be wrong.

Remus Lupin clenched his fists in frustration, crumbling the paper in the process. Making a sound of distress, Remus hastily smoothed out the creases. He was going insane. He had noticed that she was attractive. That had developed along with the realization that she was his admirer. It made things harder and harder to deal with, especially since he was her teacher! How was he going to handle this? What was he going to do now that temptation was getting harder and harder to ignore? Every time her golden brown eyes lock with his, he has trouble thinking. If she made advancements to him, would he have the power to stop her?

Remus groaned again. This would have been so much easier if she was just another pretty face! No! Hermione Granger had to be fantastic everywhere else too! Remus wished she would have existed in his time. It would have been so much easier. He would have been able to feel her and taste her and not feel guilty about it. She would have been his.


	10. Falling into Place

Things are starting to fall into place. Is this the calm before the storm? Hermione and Remus are DRAMATIC. Harry and Draco take the next step. Narcissa plays coy. Ron is an idiot. Severus remembers Sirius.

**WARNING**: You might need to have extensive knowledge about the plot of all Harry Potter books pre-HBP to understand the changes these kids are making. I know it is a little late to add this warning but I just realized that because of the things they are changing, events in these books are skewed. For example, if Sirius Black had been wary about the secrets he let loose about the Potters whereabouts, he might have arrived on the scene of their massacre sooner and died with them while he tried to protect them. Peter would still have joined his master but the third book would have been completely different. Harry might have had a pretty uneventful year and Peter would have snuck off to re-join Voldemort without any problems. If that's the case then the events of the battle of the Ministry of Magic would have been different. Would it have been Remus' life that Voldemort threatened to get Harry to go there? I don't know…I probably won't touch on it in that depth. A lot of stuff is on the line, though, so be aware of this.

**Falling into Place**

Hermione hummed as she lathered the potion on her skin. She was in an abandoned classroom, dressed in her under knickers and liberally mopping herself with a greasy substance. It was the uncreative potion of Aderoy Pince and Hermione was only going to try it out in a small time slide. She promised herself she wouldn't go back to 1978. It simply was too dangerous. She knew better. Hermione was just about to reach for her robes, which were soaking in a bucket of Aderoy's Potion, when someone burst into the room.

"Hermione you have to stop—" Remus Lupin never finished his sentence. He was looking at a shocked, half naked and greased up Hermione Granger. "I…where are your clothes?"

"Professor Lupin!" Hermione blushed and grasped at the soaking clothes. She slapped the articles against her body; they clung brilliantly against her curves. "What are you doing here?"

"I followed you." Remus started out but stopped because he didn't like the way that sounded. He couldn't look at her so he opted for looking to the side as he removed his robe and handed it to her. "I wanted to stop you from making a mistake."

"And then you made one." Hermione said as she donned Lupin's robe. It was still warm from his body and smelled like old books. She loved it. "You can't come barging into closed doors like that."

"I know, I'm sorr—WAIT! You're lecturing me?" Remus finally looked at the girl. She was incredibly adorable in his oversized robe, her hair damp and clinging into little ringlets. Remus coughed nervously and looked away again. He pulled out his letter copies and shook them to make a point. "I know what you've been doing. This has to end, Hermione."

"I know." Hermione sighed while she plopped her wet articles of clothing back in the bucket. "It was just an experiment anyway—um, are those my letters?"

"What?" Remus asked. Every movement she made reminded him that she was slick and almost naked under his robes. It was very distracting.

"In your hand, are they mine?" Hermione approached the professor slowly. He blinked at the letters and then looked up at her. He was shocked that she had gotten so close. "Our letters?"

"They were written a long time ago. For me that is." Remus said logically.

"But you made copies. You kept them for so long." Hermione smiled and stepped a little closer. Remus stepped back until he was against the door.

"I kept them for reference." Remus could see Hermione's cleavage from where she held the robe closed around her. He pressed his head against the wall in an effort to look over her head. She stepped closer again and pressed her forehead into his chest.

"Couldn't you just say that you liked me then?" Hermione whispered into his chest. She could feel his heart beating crazily inside. "Even if you don't now?"

"You think I don't like you now?" Remus held her slim shoulders and pushed her away from him. He continued to hold her at arms length. "Hermione, you are the one person who could drive me away from Hogwarts or keep me here at your own will. It's simply not a matter of whether I like you or not. It's the matter of right and wrong."

"It's not fair!" Hermione cried out and shook herself free from Remus' arms. She flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissed him full on the mouth.

Remus made a surprised sound and, while supporting the two of them against the wall, wrapped his arms around her body instinctually. She melted into him in all the right places. He could feel her thigh between his legs and struggled with himself to restrain the desire he felt for her at that moment. Did she even know what she was doing? Did Hermione understand that what Remus felt for her wasn't simply just kissing? He wanted to ravish her. She didn't know what her crush was doing to him. If she knew, wouldn't she be scared? Remus reached lower and picked her up as he positioned her legs around his waist and turned around. Now Hermione was pressed against the wall and Remus grinded himself into her, letting her know exactly what he wanted and how much he was ready. She made a squeaking sound that assured Remus that she was getting frightened but then she did something surprising. She moaned. She moaned and dropped Remus' robe to the ground while licking his lips. This was too much. Remus broke away panting.

"Damn it girl!" Remus groaned. Hermione made an attempt at approaching Remus again but he flung his hands up to stop her. "Don't. It's obvious that I want you but you have to realize that no matter how old you get. You're still too young for me."

Hermione watched him leave the room in a hurry, clearly bothered. She sighed and eyed the robe he left behind. She picked it up and took an experimental sniff. At least it still smelled like him. She held it to her chest and set about cleaning her clothes and any evidence of the potion. It was then that she noticed a letter sitting atop a dusty shelf. The letter looked new and out of place in the room. The ink could still be wet. She reached for it and opened it up.

_Keep Trying._

It was unsigned.

::

Harry waited until Draco was leaving class before he snuck up behind the blond. He covertly reached over and stroked his hand as Draco walked. The blonde swung around angrily before he broke into a grin. He then looked around nervously to see if anyone saw.

"Do you care if people know?" Harry asked curiously. It wasn't like he cared either way. Draco was Draco and he'd have him any way he could but he'd wondered about it since Draco's reaction to Dobby finding them the day before.

"I don't know…" Draco fidgeted with his robe. "I mean, it would be a hell of a shock to people if we just announced it or kissed in public…you know?"

"Let's just be friends then." Harry said with a sly smile on his face. Draco stopped and pushed Harry into a wall. A couple of people turned their heads curiously but they were use to the two fighting so they went back to what they were doing.

"What do you mean!? I can never be just friends with you! It's either this or nothing damn it!" Draco growled. Harry smirked.

"I meant in public. We can start as friends and work our way into going public about our relationship." Harry continued to smirk.

"Oh." Draco blinked and Harry chuckled. "Well, ok then."

"So, how was your tea date with mummy dearest?" Harry asked as the two continued to walk. Draco was still a little frazzled. Why did Harry have to scare him like that? It took him a long time to admit that he wanted the other boy. This was a big deal for him!

"It was…unnerving." Draco said. The two were walking and talking with each other and people were doing double takes but nothing was said yet. "She asked about you, though."

"Oh?" Harry was startled. What could Narcissa possibly want with him?

"Yes, she asked when you will finally have tea with us as a family." Draco said casually. Then it was Harry's turn to stop and push Draco into a quiet alcove.

"What the hell are you talking about? Does she know about us?" Harry whispered furiously. Draco smirked. "Oh, you son of a bitch. You're joking aren't you?"

"Well, no on two accounts. My mom is not a bitch. Smart and sometimes cruel, but not a bitch. Also, she knows about us and even accepts us."

"What? How can that be?" Harry asked.

"Unlike my father, my mother is very forgiving when it suites her." Draco said. "She doesn't see my being with you as a liability to the Malfoy name but rather a status increase. She was delighted when she found out it was you. I think she thought I was into guys from the very beginning…don't ask me how I know, it's just a feeling."

"Well, this is an odd turn of events." Harry pulled Draco from the alcove again as they continued to walk to their next class. "I guess I should formally meet your mother."

"Really?" Draco asked.

"It's my responsibility as a suitor." Harry said haughtily. "Narcissa would never let me take out her precious son with nothing less than the highest amount of decorum."

"You're so full of shit…" Draco chuckled and shook his head.

::

"Mrs. Malfoy! Mrs. Malfoy!" Ron called to the blonde woman as he trotted up to her. She looked over her shoulder and put on a predatory smile. Her favorite red head was approaching.

"Boy Weasley. How many times—"

"Cissy. Yes, I know. And no, that will never happen." Ron tried to be firm but the pretty blonde woman before him pouted. Ron sighed. "Only sometimes. But never in front of anyone!"

"You have my thanks." Narcissa smiled and straightened up. She noticed Ron was eyeing her cleavage so she deliberately stretched in such a way to show it off. "So, you wanted me?"

"Yes." Ron squeaked then tried to cough it off. Narcissa grinned. "I mean, I wanted to ask you why you did what you did yesterday. With the finger and the purring."

"Whatever do you mean, Ronald." Narcissa blinked and widened her eyes innocently. "We've always had a special relationship, you and I."

"What!?" Ron roared. Not only did he worry about being killed by both Draco and Lucius for anything to do with their mom or wife but he doesn't even get to remember the act due to the stupid stasis spell! Damn it.

"Why are you so surprised?" Narcissa asked before it dawned on her. This was the time he started writing the letters to her. He doesn't remember the past in this time line because he existed in another. Narcissa bit her lip and put on a coy smile. Ronald Weasley had no idea it was her he was writing to. He probably thought he was writing to a Gryffindor. He's so cute and stupid. Narcissa trailed a finger in circles on Ron's chest and pouted again. "Don't tell me you don't remember. Our…special times."

"Sonnofa…" Ron muttered under his breath while Narcissa chuckled under hers. This boy was just too much.

::

Severus Snape looked at the photograph of his dead lover. Sirius Black was waving enthusiastically with one hand while wrapping a protective arm around a younger, blushing Snape. He sighed and placed the photo down on his desk. It was 16 years for crying out loud. He still hadn't gotten over the death of Sirius Black.

He remembered the urgent floo call he had received the day the Potters were attacked. The day Sirius rushed o their aid and tried to save them. The day he died with them and left Severus to mourn. Severus had had a big part in the upbringing of Harry after that. He felt like the little green eyed boy had a bit of Sirius's soul in him. At first the Dursley's were resistant when he came to visit Harry growing up but after intimidating them countless times, they allowed him to see the boy. Seeing both Lily and James in Harry only served as a reminder of what Sirius died for. He'd do all that he could to protect him. His own godson was extremely close to Harry but Severus wasn't concerned about Draco. He was a good boy. It was the father that concerned him. Lucius was a force to be reckoned with and Severus would die before he allowed Malfoy to ruin Harry's life. After all, he was as much the boy's godfather as Sirius by way of their relationship at the time of Harry's birth.


	11. An Uncomfortable Luncheon

In which the boys are discovered and Hermione corresponds with her one true love.

Warnings: language.

**An Uncomfortable Luncheon **

The three sat quietly in the small sitting room, tea untouched on the table. The tension could be cut with a knife; or a saw or something. Harry looked at Draco imploringly for some sort of distraction. Anything to end the silence.

"Well, mother, how is father these days?" Draco asked once he got Harry's hint. The dark haired Gryffindor reached for a cup of tea if only for something to do.

"He's still as well as the last time you asked last week, dear." Narcissa said brightly, unforgiving and merciless bitch that she was. Harry tightened his jaw. She wasn't making this visit easy at all. She sat silently and expectedly as if she wanted them to indulge her every sick and twisted curiosity about their relationship. Harry and Draco were like one mind in their effort to withstand her scrutiny. One of them will break. The boys hoped it wasn't them. "He's curious about how YOU'RE doing, though."

As one, both of the boys flinched. Narcissa was a cruel, heartless woman. Even then she was smiling sweetly as they squirmed with discomfort. Turning her small smile into a pleased grin, Narcissa Malfoy knew she won.

"How long have you been seeing each other?" She asked as she placed a cube of sugar in her tea cup and stirred. Harry leaned back in his chair with a huff and Draco leaned forward with a reserved sigh.

"For about a month now." Draco sounded like a scolded child. He fiddled with his fingers and looked at his toes. Harry felt a desire to comfort him but restrained himself. He wasn't sure what Narcissa would think of it.

"Have you had sex yet?" Narcissa was getting sick pleasure out of torturing the two.

"WHAT!?" The boys exclaimed in unison. They looked at each other and then away as fast as they could. Neither one wanted to have the "expectant" look. Narcissa thought it was humorous and showed it by laughing.

"I'm glad to see you're amused…" Harry grumbled and downed his tea like a shot of whiskey. At that moment, he wished it was.

"Oh, pleasantly so, boy." Narcissa grinned. Draco rolled his eyes.

"Ok. You've had your fun. Was this the whole point of purposing our meeting? If so, I'm terribly disappointed in you mother." Draco steepled his fingers and looked levelly at the blonde woman before him. He reminded Narcissa of Lucius but she had plenty of experience in dealing with him. His son was a cake walk to deal with in comparison.

"My, I'm simply crushed!" Narcissa said dramatically while placing a hand to her ample chest above her heart. "My own son, treating his mother this way!"

"Oh, come off it! You've been torturing him since we entered the room." Harry burst out. Both Malfoy's present turned to look at Harry with astonishment. "Don't tell me you act this way to each other all the time."

"We have a unique relationship." Narcissa smiled fondly at her son who scowled in return. "But, I must say, you surprise me, Harry Potter."

"How would that be?" Harry was starting to get nervous again. Narcissa Malfoy was just TOO damn comfortable!

"You're willing woo a convicted DeathEater's son, my dear boy." Narcissa said simply. "He must be something special to ignore his heritage like that."

"It never even occurred to me." Harry blinked and looked sideways at Draco. The boy's ears were turning pink and he was refusing to look at Harry. "To me, Draco has always a rude mouthy git who tried to make my life as difficult as possible but I couldn't ever imagine him out of it."

Narcissa was thoughtfully silent as Harry continued. Draco was turning even more pink but he was taking furtive glances in Harry's direction.

"And when he stopped being a rude mouthy git to me he just made my life as good as possible. I still can't ever imagine him out of it."

"Well!" Narcissa said overly cheerfully. "I won't pretend to know what you're talking about."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"Lovers and love are completely different things." Narcissa said with a flippant wave of the hand.

"Who said anything about love!?" Draco yelled just as Harry gulped.

"You two are just precious!" Narcissa said as she gleefully clapped her hands together. Just then somebody burst inside the room.

"Sorry, I'm a little early, Cissy." Ronald Weasley said as he struggled to release his robes from a snag. When he finally got free, he turned around and took in the sight of Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter's completely shocked faces. Narcissa had a patient and serene smile on her face.

"You're a lot early, Ronny." She said in a sing-song voice.

"Weasley!? What the hell are you doing here!?" Draco stood up in a hurry. Harry touched his hand to calm him but rose as well.

"Yes, what ARE you doing here, Ron?" Harry asked as his friend looked like a deer caught in headlights. "And what is this whole 'Cissy' 'Ronny' bit?"

"YEAH!" Draco chimed in as if just now realizing that part happened.

"Wha—?" Ron was at a loss and looked toward Narcissa for help. The woman let out a silent chuckle.

"I was going to help him with his potions essay. He told me his friend, Hermy or something, refused to do it anymore and as you all know, Severus, with his hands full with Mr. Longbottom, doesn't have much time." Narcissa smiled. "It was my good deed for the year."

"That…seems…feasible…" Harry said hesitantly, his eyes were shifting from Narcissa to Ronald and back again. Draco continued to glare daggers at Ron.

"You're so kind mother." Draco said stiffly. "But I'm sure you're too busy to help every incompetent fool who asks for it. I'll help Weasel this time."

"Oh, it's no trouble." Narcissa said lightly.

"No, I insist, mother." Draco's death glare never lessened on Ron. The red head seemed like he wished only for the world to swallow him whole. "It will be my pleasure."

As soon as the boys excused themselves from the room and headed into the hall, Draco had Ron up against the wall with so much force Ron's head slammed painfully into the brick. Ron groaned but quickly recovered to glare at Draco. Ron was taller than the blonde.

"Draco…" Harry whispered, trying to calm his enraged boyfriend. He put a hand on Draco's arm but the blond shook him off.

"What the fuck are you trying to do to my mother you sick ginger headed fuck!?" Draco growled.

"Oh, YEAH! Yelling at me and using violence will SO make me cooperate." Ron said sarcastically and pushed Draco back. "Harry, you better control your pet before I put him down. Leash him or something."

"Ron…" Harry groaned as Draco bristled with indignation.

"What did you say!?" Draco took out his wand and pointed it menacingly at Ron. The redhead finally looked scared. He knew the Slytherin was better at hexing than he was. Physical attacks were unquestionably Ron's advantage but when it came to magic he knew Draco had him licked.

"Alright that's enough!" Harry yelled at the both of them. Both dueling boys jumped in surprise at the authority in Harry's voice. "Draco, you're jumping to conclusions! Ron, you better not be jumping on Draco's mom!"

"Gross…" Draco shivered but lowered his wand.

"I wasn't! I didn't!" Ron furrowed his brows. "At least I don't remember if I did."

"WHAT!?" Draco raised his wand again and Harry sighed irritably.

"Ron, please explain." Harry said with infinite patience. He reached over and lowered Draco's wand again.

"It's all this time travel stuff." Ron started to explain. "I don't know all the stuff we've changed because I only remember how things were before we changed stuff."

"Yeah, sometimes I'm confused too." Harry nodded.

"Wait! We?" Draco exchanged looks with Harry.

"What did you do!?" Harry rounded on Ron so fast the redhead tried to jump back only to ram himself into the brick wall again.

"I don't know the full extent, I only wrote a couple of letters." Ron rubbed the back of his head. After the two hits, he had a sizable knot there.

"A couple!?" Draco threw his hands up in exasperation and turned around so he didn't have to look at the redhead. "A couple too many if you ask me!"

"Think, Ron, what did you write in those letters?" Harry asked. The implications were making themselves known and he regretted ever telling his friend about the spell. When did he get it anyway? Did Hermione give it to him? Could she be that naïve?

"It doesn't even matter! He should never have sent messages back in time at all! Just doing it without a controlled area could be catastrophic!" Draco yelled. "Not to mention he's a fucking idiot!"

"Excuse me boys." All three teenagers jumped in surprise as a new voice made itself known. They all turned to see Professor Lupin's tall frame a few feet away. "I believe we need to have a discussion elsewhere. If you would, please follow me."

Harry sighed and immediately followed Remus. Draco sent one last withering look in Ron's direction before following Harry in Professor Lupin's wake. This was going to be an interesting discussion to say the least.

::

_I kissed you today. You in the future, that is. It was remarkable but now I know that you'll never be able to love me as we are now. It's so easy for the 17 year old you to say you can but the future you can't get past the age difference between us. It's a considerable difference and in any other situation I would find it admirable. As I heave a frustrated sigh in my 16 year old body, I can only wish you weren't so honorable. I love you. I can say that in all honesty. I feel that my love for you spans all time. If I can fall in love with your past as well as your present, why can't I have your future?_

Hermione signed her letter and sealed it with a kiss. She repeated again in her head that she was crazy and irresponsible but the letter she found telling her not to give up helped her send the letter off. She ached for Remus Lupin. Soon she had her reply.

_I'm stupid if I brushed you off! I wish I could consol you but since it is I who caused you pain, I don't know what to do! If only I could come to you. Or you to me. It would be dangerous and I know just how selfish I sound but if you could...Oh, what am I saying? If it was even possible, I can't get past how much would be at stake. Please don't stop writing to me even though my future self doesn't seem to be able to express how I feel about you. I've begun to rely on your messages. I love you too._

Oh, how good it felt to read that Remus Lupin loved her but it was quickly dampened by the knowledge that 23 years had past since he had wrote that letter. Hermione re-read the letter to try and gain the pleasant feeling again. In the end she felt even more empty. Her only consolation was that 17 year old Remus Lupin felt just as frustrated as she did. Her resolve began to melt. What could be the harm in meeting up with him and only him one time?

Hermione groaned and slammed her head on her pillow. Wrong! She shouldn't even be considering! Rolling on her back and lifting the letter up to read it again, Hermione then squeazed her eyes shut. _If only I could come to you. Or you to me. _She repeated silently in her head. Hermione sighed.

"We're both selfish, aren't we Remus?" She said to no one.


	12. Consequences

Facing the consequences of your actions and fixing the consequences of your actions are two entirely different things.

A/N: It's been a while. Sorry. I drew a blank on how to complete my story so I decided to step it up a notch on the activity of our meddlers. They don't know when to quit do they? I suppose Harry will have to be the one to say enough is enough. He'll only do it when he's satisfied with his present life. Will he ever be?

**Consequences**

The meeting with Professor Lupin had been humbling to say the least. The tall teacher had filed the three boys into his office and closed the door. He then proceeded to cast a silencing spell on it. Once he turned back to the boys he silently made his way to his desk. Draco, Harry, and Ron had plenty of time during all of this to stew in anxious worry over what Lupin was going to do to them.

"First of all, I'd like to thank Griffin and Dragon for their earlier work with me and my friends." Remus said as he clasped his hands in front of him. "I was told by the others that with their help James had enough courage to ask Lily to marry him. Sirius and Severus managed to reconcile…among other things. And I was able to get as far as I did with my career thanks to them."

"You're welcome." Harry and Draco said in unison. Ron just blinked and looked at the boys with confusion. Lupin regarded them a moment more.

"BUT, even though the path of time is unpredictable I find it suspicious that three of my friends died early deaths shortly after your meddling." Lupin's steely voice cut the boys straight to the bone. "The warnings Sirius said he got from the future messages caused him to recklessly dive into the fray and the Potter's residence and die with them."

"What!?" Harry leaned forward and grabbed the edge of the desk and gripped it so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"Ah, I see that didn't happen in the timeline that you remember." Remus remarked before allowing himself a pitying look toward the dark haired teen. He certainly didn't want to be the bearer of bad news and he wondered how Harry remembered things. Were his parents alive in his timeline? How shocking it must be. Remus didn't miss the comforting hand Draco placed on the other boy's arm as well. Those two had gotten pretty close this year. It reminded Remus of Severus and Sirius. Remus shook his head. He needed to give those meddling time writers a bit of tough love. "How was it that you remember?"

"Sirius was in prison for thirteen years for being framed for my parent's murder before escaping and helping you try to bring Peter Petigrew to justice and then he joined the order and died in the battle at the Ministry while protecting me." Harry said in one quick sentence while breathing hard. He was close to hysterics. "I didn't know he died with my parents! How have I lived as long as I have without him?"

"You seem to underestimate your own ability to survive, Harry." Remus said softly. The poor boy was distraught. Good. That would probably help him realize the folly of playing with time.

"Well I obviously messed things up more than they were already!" Harry wailed. "I only wanted to help!"

"Your heart was in the right place, Harry, but there is a reason wizards don't tamper with the fabric of time. It is a very fragile balance. If you tinker with a little bit, a drastic change could occur." Remus smiled gently.

"See, that's what Hermione said!" Ron, completely forgetting his own indiscretions with time, turned to Harry and said.

"What?" Remus stuttered out at the same time Draco and Harry turned twin scathing stares at the red-head. If their teacher didn't already know about Hermione's part in this, he certainly did now. What had prompted such a good girl like Hermione to go against her own make-up to meddle with time? Love did funny things to people. Remus decided to elaborate but that was mainly because he was flustered. "I mean, I knew she was involved but I wasn't sure she was initially against it."

"Initially?" Draco raised an eyebrow and looked toward Harry. His boyfriend pursed his lips to keep from smiling. Hermione, the little stinker, was going off behind their backs.

"Well, I have to have this same discussion with her at a later time. Now that I know who was behind it all, I can go about punishing the right culprits. Is there anyone else who knows of this?" Remus turned stern again. The boys shook their heads. "Well, you can be grateful that I don't expel you and even more grateful that I don't turn you over to the authorities but I can assure you that your punishment will be very grave indeed."

"Yes, sir" The boys said in unison.

When the meeting was over they were so overloaded with extra homework and detention that neither one of the boys knew when they'd get personal time at all. They guessed that was the point. They had time to eat, sleep and go to the bathroom but any other time was filled up. Directly upon leaving the office Harry pulled Draco aside, saying a quick goodbye to Ron (also, insisting that he break off whatever sick game he had going with Narcissa), and ushered his boyfriend in an empty room.

"We have to make this right." He said seriously.

"You're not thinking of sending more messages are you?" Draco asked in dismay. He had helped Harry become a monster! Who knew the goody two shoes Gryffindor hosted a Sneaky Slytherin side? "Haven't we done enough damage?"

"You might want to quit but I think we should at least attempt to fix what we broke. I'm not about to let my godfather OR my parents down." Harry stated passionately.

"What do you want to do? Send a message to ourselves a few weeks back and warn ourselves?" Draco asked. Harry smiled slyly and shook his head. "You want to send a message back to Sirius and warn him again? Tell them about Peter?"

Harry shook his head again.

"I'm going to go there and make sure they do it right." Harry lifted his chin and smirked at Draco as his boyfriend stared incredulously back at him. Harry had gone mad and Draco kinda liked it.

"Well, then. Let's get to it." Draco said with a grin.

::

Hermione strode purposely through the halls with a container of time lubricant goo under her arm. Her curly hair flowed behind her and her skirt bounced with every step. She was humming.

That's how Harry and Draco found her as they made their way to the library. They were going there to look for her anyway so it was good that they ran into her. She, however, was decidedly nervous and guilty. She was carrying the evidence for her guilt in the container.

"Hey, 'mione! Just the person we were looking for." Harry smiled good naturedly. Better to butter the girl up before they ask her to do something illegal.

"Oh, um, hello Harry." Hermione said as she tried to surreptitiously position the container out of sight from the boys. Draco's keen eye caught the movement, however.

"What have you got there, Granger?" Draco asked while smirking. Hermione snapped wide terrified eyes in the Slytherin's direction before trying to cover it up by nonchalantly shrugging and looking away. Draco's smirk grew larger. Little Granger's being naughty.

"It's just an extra credit assignment for Professor Severus." Hermione said. She refused to look Draco in the eye. She knew what he was thinking. He was thinking, "You little liar." Slytherins had the ability to sniff things like that out. Thankfully, Harry caught on to the lie as well. Another testament toward his Slytherin side.

"Really?" Harry's smile aped Draco's. "What is it?"

"It's just some head clearing potion, nothing really interesting." Hermione answered and waved her free hand about airily.

"Never seen a head clearing potion that was actually clear." Draco said as he eyed the container. Hermione in turn hugged it to herself. The two boys had backed the poor girl against the wall.

"Really, 'mione." Harry chuckled and crossed his arms over his chest. "I would have thought you'd have thought of that if you were giving us a lie."

"Yeah, well, I had to think of it on the spot and I was flustered!" Hermione shot back and glared at the two boys. "So I was lying, Oh well!"

"So, what is really in the container?" Harry asked as Draco chuckled. Heaving a reserved sigh, Hermione motioned for the boys to follow her into the empty room she was originally heading for before she was accosted by Harry and Draco. Upon entering the room, Hermione placed the container on a desk and turned back toward the two boys.

"It's the lubrication potion of Aderoy Pince." Hermione said like a scolded child. The two boys looked at each other before breaking into twin grins. It was really starting to become unnerving how they kept doing that. They spent too much time together.

"Well, that saves us a lot of time." Draco clapped his hands together.

"Yeah, I was already estimating how long it would take to trick her to make it for us and then she'd have to make it…" Harry said turning to his boyfriend. "It would have taken the rest of the year."

"Time is really on our side." Draco said and the two boys burst out laughing like this was the funniest thing ever.

"HEY!" Hermione yelled, causing the two to look curiously back at her. "I'm still here, I'm still distraught and I don't know what's going on. Anyone who knows me knows I hate not knowing what's going on!"

"It's true. She HATES that." Harry said to Draco who made an "oh" face.

"So, what is it that you want from me?" Hermione said, getting a hold of herself and brushing down her skirt.

"Well, we were going to ask you if you could make us a batch of that Lubricant potion." Harry said. "And since you already did, we're just going to ask if we could use it."

"You can't" Hermione said.

"Why not?" Draco burst out.

"Because I was going to use it." Hermione folder her arms and glared at them.

"Isn't there enough for three?" Harry asked eyeing the container with interest. He wasn't going to ask Hermione why she was planning on using the potion unless she asked them why they wanted it.

"I suppose…" Hermione said looking at the container herself. "If we spread it thin."

"Is that safe?" Draco asked but was already heading for the potion.

"I don't know!" Hermione snapped while slapping his hands away. "I never did this before."

"And we're proud of you." Harry nodded. "Now, how do we do this? Do we just dump it on?"

"Well, I put it directly on the skin before." Hermione started.

"Before?!" Draco said. "I thought you said this was your first time."

"Yeah, that's right." Hermione fidgeted with her robe. "I was interrupted before I could do anything."

"By who?" Draco, ever curious about people's secrets, asked. Harry was already re-robed and was steadfastly taking his tie off. He didn't care, he just wanted to get this done.

"Professor Lupin." Hermione, red-faced and fidgeting, mumbled. Harry paused in his undressing and gazed at Hermione, suddenly interested.

"What did he do when he caught you? Did he know what you were doing?" Harry asked.

"I, I think he kind of knows. He was there to confront me about it, I think." Hermione couldn't have gotten redder. With the unwavering attention of the two teenage boys (gay or not) on her, Hermione couldn't have been more embarrassed. It just wasn't something that girls talk to other boys about. "I surprised him though since I wasn't wearing my clothes at that time."

Draco started laughing immediately.

"Well…" Harry blinked. "That's one way to distract a man."

Draco laughed harder and had a difficult time standing.

"Alright!" Hermione glared at them full force. "Whatever, let's just get this started. Turn around while I put the potion on."

"Trust me, Granger, you don't have anything either of us want." Draco rolled his eyes but complied nonetheless.

Once finished, the boys did their turn. Both of them taking covert glances at each other's half naked body. They also knew the other was looking and made sure to position their bodies in the sexiest ways while they applied the potion.

"Are you two going to have sex or time travel?" Hermione said. Both boys jumped and stared wide eyed at Hermione. She was facing them with her hands on her hips, clothing still damp from the potion. "No, seriously, you look like the former is more important."

"Shut up, Granger." Draco huffed but a pretty shade of pink highlighted his cheeks. "What happened to the same courtesy we bestowed upon you? You think we want you ogling our naked flesh?"

"You do enough of that yourselves." Hermione smiled. "When you're ready boys, we'll do the spell together."

The three teenagers stood in a semi circle facing each other with their wands raised. Taking a deep breath, they aimed their wands to the top of their heads and cast the spell that would send them to the 1970s.


End file.
